Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Canada
Canada: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 52.9% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Canada, 1986–2021
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
Canada recorded 52.9% for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in 2021.
That represents a change of down 17.2% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Canada peaked at 64.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 17.0%, in 1986.
Canada ranks 5th of 128 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Canada, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 17.0% | — |
| 1991 | 19.6% | +15.7% |
| 1997 | 43.4% | +120.9% |
| 1998 | 44.2% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 45.2% | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 45.7% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 47.1% | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 48.4% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 49.5% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 50.5% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 52.2% | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 45.8% | -12.2% |
| 2008 | 55.1% | +20.3% |
| 2009 | 55.5% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 57.0% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 50.6% | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 59.7% | +17.9% |
| 2014 | 59.9% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 61.0% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 53.8% | -11.9% |
| 2018 | 64.0% | +18.9% |
| 2021 | 52.9% | -17.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 17.0% | 17.0% | 17.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 38.1% | 19.6% | 45.2% | 4 |
| 2000s | 50.0% | 45.7% | 55.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 58.0% | 50.6% | 64.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 52.9% | 52.9% | 52.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 2 United Arab Emirates 59.7% compare
- 3 Uzbekistan 57.9% compare
- 4 Ireland 54.3% compare
- 6 United States of America 52.0% compare
- 7 Ukraine 51.7% compare
- 8 Sweden 51.2% compare
More education data for Canada
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 141,045 (2000)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.8% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 15.0% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 95.01 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 95.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Canada?
- Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Canada was 52.9% in 2021, 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 64.0% in 2018.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.0% in 1986.
- How does Canada rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- Canada ranks 5th out of 128 countries with data for 2021.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. 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 short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, 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 short-cycle tertiary education.