Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland
Ireland: Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population was 60.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland, 1971–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2023, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland stood at 60.6%. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 27.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland peaked at 60.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 1971.
Ireland ranks 4th of 108 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5.7% | — |
| 1981 | 9.3% | +62.7% |
| 1991 | 14.4% | +55.7% |
| 2006 | 39.5% | +173.5% |
| 2007 | 43.4% | +9.9% |
| 2008 | 38.8% | -10.7% |
| 2009 | 41.7% | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 42.9% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 37.3% | -13.1% |
| 2013 | 47.4% | +27.1% |
| 2014 | 49.9% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | 49.8% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 41.9% | -15.8% |
| 2019 | 52.8% | +26.0% |
| 2020 | 55.0% | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 57.9% | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 59.2% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 60.6% | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 1 |
| 1980s | 9.3% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 14.4% | 14.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 40.8% | 38.8% | 43.4% | 4 |
| 2010s | 46.0% | 37.3% | 52.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 58.2% | 55.0% | 60.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 1 Kazakhstan 79.0% compare
- 2 Canada 67.5% compare
- 3 Singapore 66.3% compare
- 5 Lithuania 56.7% compare
- 6 South Korea 54.7% compare
- 7 United Arab Emirates 54.5% compare
More education data for Ireland
- 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)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 233,132 (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.56 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 223,493 (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 102,720 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -6.21 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland?
- Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Ireland was 60.6% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 60.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 1971.
- How does Ireland rank for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population?
- Ireland ranks 4th out of 108 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. 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 post-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 post-secondary non-tertiary education.