Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America

United States of America: Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary was 96.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
96.6%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
18th
of 134 countries
All-time high
97.6%
in 2019
All-time low
65.7%
in 1970
Years of data
37
1970–2024

Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America, 1970–2024

0204060801001970199720241970: 65.7 cumulative1975: 91.8 cumulative1979: 92.7 cumulative1980: 92.7 cumulative1981: 93 cumulative1990: 89.6 cumulative1994: 91.2 cumulative1995: 96.1 cumulative1996: 96.2 cumulative1997: 96.3 cumulative1998: 96.3 cumulative1999: 96.4 cumulative2000: 96.4 cumulative2001: 96.5 cumulative2002: 96.4 cumulative2003: 96.5 cumulative2004: 94 cumulative2005: 93.7 cumulative2006: 94.2 cumulative2007: 96.8 cumulative2008: 94.5 cumulative2009: 94.5 cumulative2010: 94.8 cumulative2011: 94.9 cumulative2012: 95 cumulative2013: 95.2 cumulative2014: 95.3 cumulative2015: 95.3 cumulative2016: 95.6 cumulative2017: 94.9 cumulative2018: 96 cumulative2019: 97.6 cumulative2020: 96.5 cumulative2021: 95.3 cumulative2022: 96.5 cumulative2023: 96.5 cumulative2024: 96.6 cumulative

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

Analysis

United States of America recorded 96.6% for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.4% 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, 65.7%, in 1970.

United States of America ranks 18th of 134 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.

Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in United States of America, 1970 to 2024.
Year cumulative Change
1970 65.7%
1975 91.8% +39.7%
1979 92.7% +1.0%
1980 92.7% -0.0%
1981 93.0% +0.3%
1990 89.6% -3.6%
1994 91.2% +1.7%
1995 96.1% +5.4%
1996 96.2% +0.1%
1997 96.3% +0.1%
1998 96.3% +0.0%
1999 96.4% +0.1%
2000 96.4% -0.0%
2001 96.5% +0.0%
2002 96.4% -0.0%
2003 96.5% +0.0%
2004 94.0% -2.5%
2005 93.7% -0.4%
2006 94.2% +0.5%
2007 96.8% +2.8%
2008 94.5% -2.4%
2009 94.5% +0.1%
2010 94.8% +0.2%
2011 94.9% +0.1%
2012 95.0% +0.1%
2013 95.2% +0.2%
2014 95.3% +0.1%
2015 95.3% +0.1%
2016 95.6% +0.3%
2017 94.9% -0.7%
2018 96.0% +1.2%
2019 97.6% +1.6%
2020 96.5% -1.2%
2021 95.3% -1.3%
2022 96.5% +1.3%
2023 96.5% +0.0%
2024 96.6% +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 83.4% 65.7% 92.7% 3
1980s 92.8% 92.7% 93.0% 2
1990s 94.6% 89.6% 96.4% 7
2000s 95.4% 93.7% 96.8% 10
2010s 95.5% 94.8% 97.6% 10
2020s 96.3% 95.3% 96.6% 5

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 15 Switzerland 98.2% compare
  2. 16 Lithuania 97.9% compare
  3. 17 Bulgaria 97.0% compare
  4. 19 Canada 96.4% compare
  5. 20 Montenegro 96.1% compare
  6. 21 Bahamas 96.1% compare

See the full ranking of 134 places →

More education data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

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 96.6% 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 65.7% in 1970.
How does United States of America rank for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary?
United States of America ranks 18th out of 134 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 1.4%. 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+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-lower-secondary-population-25-total-percent/united-states/

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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.