Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Ireland
Ireland: Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary was 91.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Ireland, 1971–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 91.8% for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in 2023. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Ireland peaked at 91.8% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 29.9%, in 1971.
That places Ireland 38th out of 132 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Ireland, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 29.9% | — |
| 1981 | 45.5% | +52.3% |
| 1991 | 59.7% | +31.1% |
| 2006 | 82.3% | +37.9% |
| 2007 | 82.0% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 78.2% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 79.0% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 80.5% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 82.4% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 83.0% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 86.3% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 86.5% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 86.6% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 85.0% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 87.5% | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 87.4% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 88.4% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 90.3% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 90.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 91.8% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.9% | 29.9% | 29.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 45.5% | 45.5% | 45.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 59.7% | 59.7% | 59.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 80.4% | 78.2% | 82.3% | 4 |
| 2010s | 84.7% | 80.5% | 87.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.2% | 88.4% | 91.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 270,411 (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0519 units per person (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 278,462 (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.81 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0534 units per person (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.55 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,162 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 3.17 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Ireland?
- Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Ireland was 91.8% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 91.8% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.9% in 1971.
- How does Ireland rank for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary?
- Ireland ranks 38th out of 132 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed lower secondary education.