China vs India: Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number)
China
1.61 million
in 2011
India
1.66 million
in 2023
China rank
2nd
India rank
1st
Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number) over time
- China
- India
How they compare
India currently reports 1.66 million against 1.61 million in China, a difference of 57,620.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 15 shared years of data; in 1973 it was India ahead.
China ranks 2nd and India ranks 1st of 185 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and India in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 165,742 | 233,602 | 67,860 | India |
| 1980s | 371,683 | 298,274 | 73,408 | China |
| 2000s | 667,870 | 441,528 | 226,342 | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes, China or India?
- India, at 1.66 million against 1.61 million in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes between China and India?
- 57,620, with India ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 1973 to 2004.
- How do China and India rank globally for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes?
- China ranks 2nd and India ranks 1st of 185 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release