Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America
United States of America: Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population was 47.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America, 1995–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America stood at 47.6%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America peaked at 47.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 32.6%, in 1995.
United States of America ranks 19th of 108 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 32.6% | — |
| 1996 | 33.0% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 34.0% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 35.0% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 35.3% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 36.2% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 36.6% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 38.0% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 43.3% | +14.0% |
| 2019 | 44.7% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 45.8% | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 47.1% | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 47.6% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33.6% | 32.6% | 35.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 36.4% | 35.3% | 38.0% | 5 |
| 2010s | 44.0% | 43.3% | 44.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 46.8% | 45.8% | 47.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More education data for United States of America
- 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)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America?
- Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in United States of America was 47.6% in 2024, 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 United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 47.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.6% in 1995.
- How does United States of America rank for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population?
- United States of America ranks 19th out of 108 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. 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 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.