Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland
Iceland: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 48.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland, 1999–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2023, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland stood at 48.5%.
That represents a change of up 4.0% on the previous year and up 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland peaked at 49.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 19.7%, in 1999.
Iceland ranks 15th of 128 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 19.7% | — |
| 2000 | 22.4% | +13.9% |
| 2001 | 21.8% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 23.4% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 27.9% | +19.3% |
| 2004 | 27.2% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 31.2% | +14.7% |
| 2007 | 30.4% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 31.8% | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 33.5% | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 34.4% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 36.1% | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 38.1% | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 38.9% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 40.1% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 42.6% | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 44.2% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 46.5% | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 49.2% | +5.8% |
| 2019 | 45.1% | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 44.5% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 44.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 46.6% | +6.0% |
| 2023 | 48.5% | +4.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19.7% | 19.7% | 19.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 27.7% | 21.8% | 33.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 41.5% | 34.4% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.9% | 44.0% | 48.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More education data for Iceland
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3,568 (2023)
- 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 66.5% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.5% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 13 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 98.22 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 98.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland?
- Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Iceland was 48.5% in 2023, 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 49.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.7% in 1999.
- How does Iceland rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- Iceland ranks 15th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.