Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in United States of America

United States of America: Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. was 53.9% in 2010. ▲ Rising

Latest (2010)
53.9%
World rank
2nd
of 144 countries
All-time high
53.9%
in 2010
All-time low
15.7%
in 1960
Years of data
11
1960–2010

Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in United States of America, 1960–2010

203040501960198520101960: 15.7 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1965: 18.1 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1970: 20.9 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1975: 26.7 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1980: 29.9 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1985: 37.4 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1990: 43.1 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary1995: 44.2 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary2000: 48.5 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary2005: 49.5 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary2010: 53.9 Incomplete and Completed Tertiary

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

Analysis

United States of America recorded 53.9% for barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in 2010. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in United States of America peaked at 53.9% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 15.7%, in 1960.

United States of America ranks 2nd of 144 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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 United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Barro-Lee: Percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. Total (Incomplete and Completed Tertiary) in United States of America, 1960 to 2010.
Year Incomplete and Completed Tertiary Change
1960 15.7%
1965 18.1% +14.9%
1970 20.9% +15.6%
1975 26.7% +27.7%
1980 29.9% +12.1%
1985 37.4% +24.9%
1990 43.1% +15.4%
1995 44.2% +2.6%
2000 48.5% +9.7%
2005 49.5% +2.1%
2010 53.9% +9.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 16.9% 15.7% 18.1% 2
1970s 23.8% 20.9% 26.7% 2
1980s 33.6% 29.9% 37.4% 2
1990s 43.7% 43.1% 44.2% 2
2000s 49.0% 48.5% 49.5% 2
2010s 53.9% 53.9% 53.9% 1

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 1 Russian Federation 59.2% compare
  2. 3 Canada 43.9% compare
  3. 4 Korea 41.6% compare
  4. 5 Ireland 40.1% compare

See the full ranking of 144 places →

More education data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in United States of America?
Barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. in United States of America was 53.9% 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 United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 53.9% in 2010.
What is the lowest barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 15.7% in 1960.
How does United States of America rank for barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling.?
United States of America ranks 2nd out of 144 countries with data for 2010.
Is barro-lee: percentage of population age 15+ with tertiary schooling. rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States of America 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 United States of America. 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/united-states/

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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)