Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal

Portugal: Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary was 64.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
64.5%
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
81st
of 134 countries
All-time high
64.5%
in 2024
All-time low
8.5%
in 1970
Years of data
30
1970–2024

Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal, 1970–2024

02040601970199720241970: 8.5 cumulative1981: 14 cumulative1991: 22.4 cumulative1998: 23.6 cumulative1999: 24.3 cumulative2000: 25.3 cumulative2001: 26.3 cumulative2002: 27.2 cumulative2003: 29.2 cumulative2004: 31.9 cumulative2005: 33.4 cumulative2006: 35 cumulative2007: 35.5 cumulative2008: 37.5 cumulative2009: 39.7 cumulative2010: 41.3 cumulative2011: 45 cumulative2012: 47.2 cumulative2013: 49.3 cumulative2014: 51.4 cumulative2015: 52.7 cumulative2016: 54.2 cumulative2017: 55.2 cumulative2018: 54.3 cumulative2019: 58 cumulative2020: 60.7 cumulative2021: 58 cumulative2022: 62.3 cumulative2023: 62.9 cumulative2024: 64.5 cumulative

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.

Analysis

Portugal recorded 64.5% for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in 2024. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal peaked at 64.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.5%, in 1970.

That places Portugal 81st out of 134 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in Portugal, 1970 to 2024.
Year cumulative Change
1970 8.5%
1981 14.0% +65.9%
1991 22.4% +59.9%
1998 23.6% +5.4%
1999 24.3% +2.8%
2000 25.3% +4.0%
2001 26.3% +4.2%
2002 27.2% +3.4%
2003 29.2% +7.3%
2004 31.9% +9.2%
2005 33.4% +4.9%
2006 35.0% +4.6%
2007 35.5% +1.6%
2008 37.5% +5.6%
2009 39.7% +5.6%
2010 41.3% +4.1%
2011 45.0% +9.0%
2012 47.2% +4.9%
2013 49.3% +4.4%
2014 51.4% +4.4%
2015 52.7% +2.4%
2016 54.2% +2.8%
2017 55.2% +1.8%
2018 54.3% -1.6%
2019 58.0% +6.7%
2020 60.7% +4.8%
2021 58.0% -4.6%
2022 62.3% +7.4%
2023 62.9% +1.0%
2024 64.5% +2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 8.5% 8.5% 8.5% 1
1980s 14.0% 14.0% 14.0% 1
1990s 23.5% 22.4% 24.3% 3
2000s 32.1% 25.3% 39.7% 10
2010s 50.9% 41.3% 58.0% 10
2020s 61.7% 58.0% 64.5% 5

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 78 Iran 65.1% compare
  2. 79 Zimbabwe 64.9% compare
  3. 80 Panama 64.7% compare
  4. 82 Peru 63.7% compare
  5. 83 Uruguay 63.3% compare
  6. 84 Colombia 62.7% compare

See the full ranking of 134 places →

More education data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal?
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal was 64.5% 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 Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 64.5% in 2024.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 8.5% in 1970.
How does Portugal rank for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary?
Portugal ranks 81st out of 134 countries with data for 2024.
Is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Portugal 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+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-lower-secondary-population-25-total-percent/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
134 places, 1,905 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed lower secondary education.