Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada
Canada: Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ was 96.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada stood at 96.3%. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada peaked at 96.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 79.9%, in 1976.
Canada ranks 58th of 135 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 81.1% | — |
| 1976 | 79.9% | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 83.7% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 93.7% | +12.0% |
| 1991 | 94.9% | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 85.1% | -10.4% |
| 1994 | 84.7% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 85.1% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 85.6% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 86.1% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 86.9% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 87.4% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 87.9% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 88.7% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 89.1% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 89.4% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 89.8% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 90.2% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 90.5% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 91.1% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 91.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 92.0% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 92.5% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 92.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 93.1% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 93.4% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 93.8% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 94.3% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 94.6% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 94.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 94.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 95.2% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 95.6% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 96.0% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 80.5% | 79.9% | 81.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 88.7% | 83.7% | 93.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 87.0% | 84.7% | 94.9% | 8 |
| 2000s | 90.0% | 87.9% | 92.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.8% | 92.5% | 94.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.8% | 95.2% | 96.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.28 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 96,008 (2000)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 45,037 (2000)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.03 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.2105 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 808,725 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.66 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada?
- Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada was 96.3% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 96.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.9% in 1976.
- How does Canada rank for educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+?
- Canada ranks 58th out of 135 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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 primary, population 25+ years, female (%) (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 primary education.