Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Portugal
Portugal: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 21.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Portugal, 1970–2024
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 Portugal stood at 21.8%. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is up 9.3% on the previous year and up 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Portugal peaked at 21.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1970.
That places Portugal 65th out of 129 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Portugal, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.5% | — |
| 1981 | 4.9% | +93.6% |
| 1991 | 8.2% | +66.5% |
| 1992 | 8.8% | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 8.6% | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 8.7% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 8.9% | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 8.9% | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 8.8% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 6.2% | -29.9% |
| 1999 | 6.6% | +7.0% |
| 2000 | 6.6% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 6.6% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | -4.5% |
| 2003 | 7.6% | +19.8% |
| 2004 | 8.9% | +16.7% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 9.5% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 9.8% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 10.2% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 10.6% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 12.4% | +16.7% |
| 2012 | 13.4% | +7.9% |
| 2013 | 13.4% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 14.7% | +9.9% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | +5.0% |
| 2017 | 16.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 15.4% | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 17.9% | +15.6% |
| 2020 | 19.1% | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 17.9% | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 19.9% | +11.7% |
| 2024 | 21.8% | +9.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 8.2% | 6.2% | 8.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.5% | 6.3% | 10.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.5% | 10.6% | 17.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.7% | 17.9% | 21.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 62 Montenegro 22.7% compare
- 63 Bulgaria 22.1% compare
- 64 Philippines 21.9% compare
- 66 Czechia 21.1% compare
- 67 North Macedonia 20.8% compare
- 68 Austria 20.8% compare
More education data for Portugal
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 82,664 (2018)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 11,380 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 136,282 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 128,743 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 741,752 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 598,661 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0566 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Portugal?
- Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Portugal was 21.8% 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 21.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1970.
- How does Portugal rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- Portugal ranks 65th out of 129 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal 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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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.