Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in South Africa
South Africa: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 16.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in South Africa, 1970–2024
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 South Africa is 16.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 31.7% on the previous year and up 112.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in South Africa peaked at 16.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 1985.
That places South Africa 79th 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 27 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in South Africa, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.3% | — |
| 1985 | 3.1% | -27.2% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | +68.3% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +13.1% |
| 2003 | 6.5% | +13.1% |
| 2004 | 5.6% | -14.0% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | -9.4% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 5.1% | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 5.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 6.3% | +22.6% |
| 2010 | 6.9% | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 6.7% | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 7.1% | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 11.4% | +60.2% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -33.8% |
| 2015 | 8.3% | +9.5% |
| 2016 | 9.8% | +18.0% |
| 2017 | 11.7% | +19.3% |
| 2018 | 11.6% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 11.9% | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 11.5% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 15.6% | +35.4% |
| 2022 | 11.6% | -25.2% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | +5.0% |
| 2024 | 16.1% | +31.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 4.9% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.3% | 6.7% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.4% | 11.5% | 16.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in South Africa?
- Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in South Africa was 16.1% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 1985.
- How does South Africa rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- South Africa ranks 79th out of 129 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.