Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada
Canada: Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population was 36.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada, 1990–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada stood at 36.3%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 5.5% on the previous year and up 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada peaked at 36.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.5%, in 1990.
Canada ranks 19th of 109 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.5% | — |
| 1991 | 10.8% | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 11.6% | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 12.3% | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 13.0% | +5.7% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 13.7% | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 15.5% | +7.0% |
| 2000 | 16.5% | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 16.9% | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 17.5% | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 18.6% | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 18.9% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 19.9% | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 20.8% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 21.3% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 22.4% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 23.5% | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 24.1% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 25.0% | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 25.8% | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 26.2% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 27.3% | +4.2% |
| 2016 | 26.7% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 29.6% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 30.9% | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 32.3% | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 30.9% | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 33.9% | +9.6% |
| 2023 | 34.4% | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 36.3% | +5.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.0% | 10.5% | 15.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.5% | 16.5% | 22.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.8% | 23.5% | 30.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.6% | 30.9% | 36.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 16 Latvia 38.5% compare
- 17 Bahrain 38.2% compare
- 18 Switzerland 37.3% compare
- 20 Saudi Arabia 36.3% compare
- 21 Netherlands 36.0% compare
- 22 Kazakhstan 35.2% compare
More education data for Canada
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.28 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 96,008 (2000)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 45,037 (2000)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.03 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.2105 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 808,725 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.66 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada?
- Educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population in Canada was 36.3% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 36.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.5% in 1990.
- How does Canada rank for educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population?
- Canada ranks 19th out of 109 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least bachelor's or equivalent, population rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Bachelor's or equivalent.