Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada
Canada: Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ was 96.4% 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
The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada is 96.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ in Canada peaked at 96.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 79.6%, in 1976.
That places Canada 56th out of 136 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 | 80.2% | — |
| 1976 | 79.6% | -0.7% |
| 1981 | 83.7% | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 93.8% | +12.0% |
| 1991 | 95.1% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 85.4% | -10.2% |
| 1994 | 85.1% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 85.6% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 86.1% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 86.8% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 87.5% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 87.9% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 88.4% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 89.2% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 89.6% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 90.0% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 90.4% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 90.8% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 91.1% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 91.6% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 92.0% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 92.5% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 92.8% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 93.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 93.5% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 93.7% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 93.9% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 94.3% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 94.5% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 94.8% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 95.2% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 95.1% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 95.5% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 95.9% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 96.1% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 96.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 79.9% | 79.6% | 80.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 88.8% | 83.7% | 93.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 87.4% | 85.1% | 95.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 90.5% | 88.4% | 92.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 94.1% | 92.8% | 95.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.1% | 95.5% | 96.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 95.11 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 95.01 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
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 96.4% 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 96.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.6% in 1976.
- How does Canada rank for educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+?
- Canada ranks 56th out of 136 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 2.7%. 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, total (%) (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.