Completion rate, upper secondary education, both … modelled data both in China
China: Completion rate, upper secondary education, both … modelled data both was 89.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
89.8%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
31st
of 164 countries
All-time high
89.8%
in 2025
All-time low
13.8%
in 1988
Years of data
45
1981–2025
Completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in China, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in China stood at 89.8%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 34.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in China peaked at 89.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.8%, in 1988.
China ranks 31st of 164 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Completion rate, upper secondary education, both … modelled data both in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 26.1% | — |
| 1982 | 25.0% | -4.1% |
| 1983 | 23.4% | -6.5% |
| 1984 | 21.2% | -9.4% |
| 1985 | 18.6% | -12.3% |
| 1986 | 16.1% | -13.6% |
| 1987 | 14.3% | -10.8% |
| 1988 | 13.8% | -3.4% |
| 1989 | 14.4% | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 15.3% | +6.1% |
| 1991 | 16.1% | +5.3% |
| 1992 | 16.7% | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 17.4% | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 18.1% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 18.9% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 20.0% | +6.1% |
| 1997 | 21.7% | +8.4% |
| 1998 | 23.9% | +10.1% |
| 1999 | 26.3% | +9.9% |
| 2000 | 28.2% | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 29.6% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 30.6% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 31.4% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 32.4% | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 33.6% | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 35.3% | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 37.6% | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 40.4% | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 43.7% | +8.1% |
| 2010 | 47.5% | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 51.9% | +9.2% |
| 2012 | 56.4% | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 60.5% | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 64.0% | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 67.0% | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 69.8% | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 72.7% | +4.1% |
| 2018 | 75.4% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 78.1% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 80.6% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 83.0% | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 85.0% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 86.8% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 88.4% | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 89.8% | +1.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 89.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 72.5%, 1.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- China's 89.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.0%, 1.5× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 19.2% | 13.8% | 26.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 19.4% | 15.3% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.3% | 28.2% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.3% | 47.5% | 78.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.6% | 80.6% | 89.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 93.37 (1997)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.32 (1997)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in China?
- Completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) in China was 89.8% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 89.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.8% in 1988.
- How does China rank for completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data)?
- China ranks 31st out of 164 countries with data for 2025.
- Is completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Completion rate, upper secondary education, both sexes (modelled data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release