Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan

Afghanistan: Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population was 4.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
4.7%
Change on year
down 26.1%
World rank
105th
of 110 countries
All-time high
6.4%
in 2020
All-time low
1.7%
in 1975
Years of data
6
1975–2021

Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan, 1975–2021

234561975199820211975: 1.7 cumulative1979: 3 cumulative2014: 3.5 cumulative2017: 5.3 cumulative2020: 6.4 cumulative2021: 4.7 cumulative

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan is 4.7%, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.1% on the previous year and up 36.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan peaked at 6.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1975.

Afghanistan ranks 105th of 110 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in Afghanistan, 1975 to 2021.
Year cumulative Change
1975 1.7%
1979 3.0% +78.7%
2014 3.5% +13.6%
2017 5.3% +52.5%
2020 6.4% +21.1%
2021 4.7% -26.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2.4% 1.7% 3.0% 2
2010s 4.4% 3.5% 5.3% 2
2020s 5.5% 4.7% 6.4% 2

Countries ranked near Afghanistan

  1. 102 Senegal 5.7% compare
  2. 103 Benin 5.2% compare
  3. 104 Sri Lanka 5.1% compare
  4. 106 Guatemala 4.2% compare
  5. 107 Mali 3.9% compare
  6. 108 Malawi 3.0% compare

See the full ranking of 110 places →

More education data for Afghanistan

All data for Afghanistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan?
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan was 4.7% in 2021, 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 Afghanistan?
The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 2020.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in Afghanistan?
The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1975.
How does Afghanistan rank for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population?
Afghanistan ranks 105th out of 110 countries with data for 2021.
Is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population rising or falling in Afghanistan?
Over the last ten years it is up 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Afghanistan 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+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-post-secondary-population-25-total-percent/afghanistan/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-post-secondary-population-25-total-percent/afghanistan/">Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Afghanistan</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed post-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
110 places, 1,336 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed post-secondary non-tertiary education.