Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America
United States of America: Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary was 96.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America stood at 96.5%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America peaked at 97.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 64.5%, in 1970.
United States of America ranks 22nd of 132 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 64.5% | — |
| 1975 | 91.1% | +41.4% |
| 1979 | 92.3% | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 92.4% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 92.7% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 91.0% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 95.9% | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 96.1% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 96.2% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 96.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 96.3% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 96.3% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 96.3% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 96.3% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 93.8% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 93.5% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 93.9% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 96.6% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 94.2% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 94.3% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 94.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 94.8% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 94.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 95.0% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 95.1% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 95.2% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 95.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 94.8% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 96.0% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 97.6% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 96.4% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 95.1% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 96.3% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 82.6% | 64.5% | 92.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 92.5% | 92.4% | 92.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 95.3% | 91.0% | 96.4% | 6 |
| 2000s | 95.2% | 93.5% | 96.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.3% | 94.6% | 97.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.1% | 95.1% | 96.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More education data for United States of America
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America?
- Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America was 96.5% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 97.6% in 2019.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.5% in 1970.
- How does United States of America rank for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary?
- United States of America ranks 22nd out of 132 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America 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.