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

Netherlands: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 38.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
38.5%
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
34th
of 128 countries
All-time high
38.5%
in 2023
All-time low
16.2%
in 1998
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands, 1996–2023

0102030401996200920231996: 16.4 cumulative1997: 17.5 cumulative1998: 16.2 cumulative1999: 17.4 cumulative2000: 18.5 cumulative2001: 18.6 cumulative2002: 19.4 cumulative2003: 21.2 cumulative2004: 23.2 cumulative2005: 22.9 cumulative2006: 22.3 cumulative2007: 24.6 cumulative2008: 24.4 cumulative2009: 25.4 cumulative2010: 25.8 cumulative2011: 25.9 cumulative2012: 26.6 cumulative2013: 27.3 cumulative2014: 28 cumulative2015: 28.9 cumulative2016: 29.8 cumulative2017: 31.9 cumulative2018: 31.7 cumulative2019: 34.9 cumulative2020: 35.4 cumulative2021: 36.9 cumulative2022: 37.8 cumulative2023: 38.5 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 short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands is 38.5%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 41.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands peaked at 38.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 1998.

That places Netherlands 34th out of 128 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative) in Netherlands, 1996 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
1996 16.4%
1997 17.5% +6.3%
1998 16.2% -7.2%
1999 17.4% +7.5%
2000 18.5% +6.1%
2001 18.6% +0.5%
2002 19.4% +4.6%
2003 21.2% +9.1%
2004 23.2% +9.5%
2005 22.9% -1.6%
2006 22.3% -2.3%
2007 24.6% +10.1%
2008 24.4% -0.6%
2009 25.4% +4.0%
2010 25.8% +1.5%
2011 25.9% +0.4%
2012 26.6% +2.7%
2013 27.3% +2.4%
2014 28.0% +2.8%
2015 28.9% +3.1%
2016 29.8% +3.1%
2017 31.9% +7.2%
2018 31.7% -0.9%
2019 34.9% +10.3%
2020 35.4% +1.5%
2021 36.9% +4.1%
2022 37.8% +2.5%
2023 38.5% +2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 16.9% 16.2% 17.5% 4
2000s 22.1% 18.5% 25.4% 10
2010s 29.1% 25.8% 34.9% 10
2020s 37.2% 35.4% 38.5% 4

Countries ranked near Netherlands

  1. 31 Slovenia 39.4% compare
  2. 32 France 38.8% compare
  3. 33 New Zealand 38.6% compare
  4. 35 Andorra 37.9% compare
  5. 36 Seychelles 37.3% compare
  6. 37 Switzerland 37.3% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More education data for Netherlands

All data for Netherlands →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands?
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands was 38.5% 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 Netherlands?
The highest recorded value was 38.5% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Netherlands?
The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 1998.
How does Netherlands rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
Netherlands ranks 34th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Netherlands?
Over the last ten years it is up 41.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Netherlands 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands. 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/netherlands/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-population-25-female/netherlands/">Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Netherlands</a> — Statizoid

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.