Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia

Australia: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 51.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
51.0%
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
10th
of 128 countries
All-time high
53.2%
in 2022
All-time low
28.3%
in 2001
Years of data
24
2001–2024

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia, 2001–2024

02040602001201220242001: 28.3 cumulative2002: 28.9 cumulative2003: 30.4 cumulative2004: 32.6 cumulative2005: 33.1 cumulative2006: 35.3 cumulative2007: 36.1 cumulative2008: 38.9 cumulative2009: 39.8 cumulative2010: 40.9 cumulative2011: 42.1 cumulative2012: 44.9 cumulative2013: 40.9 cumulative2014: 42.2 cumulative2015: 44 cumulative2016: 44.7 cumulative2017: 46.8 cumulative2018: 47.7 cumulative2019: 48.3 cumulative2020: 50.9 cumulative2021: 51.2 cumulative2022: 53.2 cumulative2023: 50.6 cumulative2024: 51 cumulative

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

Analysis

In 2024, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia stood at 51.0%.

That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 20.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia peaked at 53.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 28.3%, in 2001.

That places Australia 10th out of 128 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) in Australia, 2001 to 2024.
Year cumulative Change
2001 28.3%
2002 28.9% +2.0%
2003 30.4% +5.2%
2004 32.6% +7.2%
2005 33.1% +1.7%
2006 35.3% +6.7%
2007 36.1% +2.0%
2008 38.9% +7.9%
2009 39.8% +2.2%
2010 40.9% +2.7%
2011 42.1% +3.0%
2012 44.9% +6.9%
2013 40.9% -9.1%
2014 42.2% +3.4%
2015 44.0% +4.2%
2016 44.7% +1.5%
2017 46.8% +4.6%
2018 47.7% +2.1%
2019 48.3% +1.1%
2020 50.9% +5.6%
2021 51.2% +0.6%
2022 53.2% +3.9%
2023 50.6% -5.0%
2024 51.0% +0.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 33.7% 28.3% 39.8% 9
2010s 44.2% 40.9% 48.3% 10
2020s 51.4% 50.6% 53.2% 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 7 Ukraine 51.7% compare
  2. 8 Sweden 51.2% compare
  3. 9 Singapore 51.1% compare
  4. 11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 50.5% compare
  5. 12 Bahrain 50.3% compare
  6. 13 Armenia 50.2% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More education data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia?
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia was 51.0% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 53.2% in 2022.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 28.3% in 2001.
How does Australia rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
Australia ranks 10th out of 128 countries with data for 2024.
Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia 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 short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-population-25-female/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 2,110 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.