Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa

South Africa: Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. was 4.6% in 2010. ▲ Rising

Latest (2010)
4.6%
World rank
104th
of 144 countries
All-time high
7.2%
in 2000
All-time low
1.2%
in 1980
Years of data
11
1960–2010

Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa, 1960–2010

24681960198520101960: 3.1 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1965: 3.4 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1970: 3.1 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1975: 2.1 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1980: 1.2 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1985: 1.7 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1990: 5.2 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1995: 6.9 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary2000: 7.2 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary2005: 6.3 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary2010: 4.6 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary

Source: Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/. Measured in Incomplete and Completed Tertiary.

Analysis

In 2010, barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa stood at 4.6%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 36.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa peaked at 7.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1980.

That places South Africa 104th out of 144 countries with data for 2010, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Tertiary) in South Africa, 1960 to 2010.
Year Incomplete and Completed Tertiary Change
1960 3.1%
1965 3.4% +10.4%
1970 3.1% -8.3%
1975 2.1% -32.8%
1980 1.2% -44.0%
1985 1.7% +48.7%
1990 5.2% +196.0%
1995 6.9% +33.2%
2000 7.2% +4.8%
2005 6.3% -12.4%
2010 4.6% -27.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 3.2% 3.1% 3.4% 2
1970s 2.6% 2.1% 3.1% 2
1980s 1.5% 1.2% 1.7% 2
1990s 6.0% 5.2% 6.9% 2
2000s 6.7% 6.3% 7.2% 2
2010s 4.6% 4.6% 4.6% 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 101 Mauritius 4.7% compare
  2. 102 Barbados 4.6% compare
  3. 102 Syrian Arab Republic 4.6% compare
  4. 105 China 4.5% compare
  5. 106 Bangladesh 4.1% compare
  6. 107 Côte d'Ivoire 4.0% compare

See the full ranking of 144 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa?
Barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa was 4.6% in 2010, according to Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/.
What is the highest barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 7.2% in 2000.
What is the lowest barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1980.
How does South Africa rank for barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling.?
South Africa ranks 104th out of 144 countries with data for 2010.
Is barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/, published as part of Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Tertiary). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/barro-lee-percentage-of-population-age-15-with-tertiary-schooling-total-incomplete-and/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Tertiary)
Unit
Incomplete and Completed Tertiary
Source
Robert J. Barro and Jong-Wha Lee: http://www.barrolee.com/
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
144 places, 1,584 data points, 1960–2010
Last refreshed

Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Tertiary)