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

Italy: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 16.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
16.0%
Change on year
up 7.4%
World rank
80th
of 129 countries
All-time high
16.0%
in 2023
All-time low
3.8%
in 1971
Years of data
34
1971–2023

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy, 1971–2023

57.51012.5151971199720231971: 3.8 cumulative1981: 5.4 cumulative1992: 7.2 cumulative1993: 7.1 cumulative1994: 7.4 cumulative1995: 7.4 cumulative1996: 7.8 cumulative1997: 8 cumulative1998: 8.8 cumulative1999: 9.2 cumulative2000: 9.2 cumulative2001: 9.6 cumulative2002: 9.4 cumulative2003: 9.6 cumulative2004: 9.8 cumulative2005: 10.3 cumulative2006: 10.6 cumulative2007: 11 cumulative2008: 11.4 cumulative2009: 11.5 cumulative2010: 11.8 cumulative2011: 11.8 cumulative2012: 12.2 cumulative2013: 12.6 cumulative2014: 13.2 cumulative2015: 13.5 cumulative2016: 13.6 cumulative2017: 14.2 cumulative2018: 14.9 cumulative2019: 15.1 cumulative2020: 15.3 cumulative2021: 14.7 cumulative2022: 14.9 cumulative2023: 16 cumulative

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

Analysis

Italy recorded 16.0% for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.

The figure is up 7.4% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy peaked at 16.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.8%, in 1971.

That places Italy 80th out of 129 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative) in Italy, 1971 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
1971 3.8%
1981 5.4% +42.8%
1992 7.2% +32.6%
1993 7.1% -2.0%
1994 7.4% +4.2%
1995 7.4% +1.1%
1996 7.8% +4.3%
1997 8.0% +2.5%
1998 8.8% +10.5%
1999 9.2% +4.8%
2000 9.2% +0.3%
2001 9.6% +4.4%
2002 9.4% -2.6%
2003 9.6% +1.9%
2004 9.8% +2.7%
2005 10.3% +4.4%
2006 10.6% +3.3%
2007 11.0% +3.6%
2008 11.4% +4.2%
2009 11.5% +0.6%
2010 11.8% +2.2%
2011 11.8% +0.5%
2012 12.2% +2.8%
2013 12.6% +3.8%
2014 13.2% +4.7%
2015 13.5% +2.2%
2016 13.6% +0.9%
2017 14.2% +4.2%
2018 14.9% +4.9%
2019 15.1% +1.4%
2020 15.3% +1.2%
2021 14.7% -3.4%
2022 14.9% +0.9%
2023 16.0% +7.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 3.8% 3.8% 3.8% 1
1980s 5.4% 5.4% 5.4% 1
1990s 7.9% 7.1% 9.2% 8
2000s 10.3% 9.2% 11.5% 10
2010s 13.3% 11.8% 15.1% 10
2020s 15.2% 14.7% 16.0% 4

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 77 Zimbabwe 16.9% compare
  2. 78 Trinidad and Tobago 16.1% compare
  3. 79 South Africa 16.1% compare
  4. 81 Argentina 15.5% compare
  5. 82 Peru 15.2% compare
  6. 83 Belize 15.2% compare

See the full ranking of 129 places →

More education data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy?
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy was 16.0% 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 Italy?
The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 3.8% in 1971.
How does Italy rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
Italy ranks 80th out of 129 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Italy 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+, male (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-population-25-male-percent/italy/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
129 places, 2,126 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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