Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea in Canada

Canada: Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea was 96.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
96.4%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
56th
of 136 countries
All-time high
96.4%
in 2024
All-time low
79.6%
in 1976
Years of data
37
1970–2024

Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea in Canada, 1970–2024

0204060801001970199720241970: 80.2 cumulative1976: 79.6 cumulative1981: 83.7 cumulative1986: 93.8 cumulative1991: 95.1 cumulative1993: 85.4 cumulative1994: 85.1 cumulative1995: 85.6 cumulative1996: 86.1 cumulative1997: 86.8 cumulative1998: 87.5 cumulative1999: 87.9 cumulative2000: 88.4 cumulative2001: 89.2 cumulative2002: 89.6 cumulative2003: 90 cumulative2004: 90.4 cumulative2005: 90.8 cumulative2006: 91.1 cumulative2007: 91.6 cumulative2008: 92 cumulative2009: 92.5 cumulative2010: 92.8 cumulative2011: 93.1 cumulative2012: 93.5 cumulative2013: 93.7 cumulative2014: 93.9 cumulative2015: 94.3 cumulative2016: 94.5 cumulative2017: 94.8 cumulative2018: 95.2 cumulative2019: 95.1 cumulative2020: 95.5 cumulative2021: 95.9 cumulative2022: 96.1 cumulative2023: 96.3 cumulative2024: 96.4 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 primary, population 25+ yea 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+ yea 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+ yea in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ years, total (%) (cumulative) in Canada, 1970 to 2024.
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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 53 Grenada 97.2% compare
  2. 54 Cyprus 97.1% compare
  3. 55 Tonga 96.5% compare
  4. 57 Israel 96.4% compare
  5. 58 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 96.4% compare
  6. 59 Mongolia 95.8% compare

See the full ranking of 136 places →

More education data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea in Canada?
Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea 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+ yea recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 96.4% in 2024.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea 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+ yea?
Canada ranks 56th out of 136 countries with data for 2024.
Is educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea 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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Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ yea in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-primary-population-25-years-total-percent/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ years, total (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
136 places, 2,259 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed primary education.