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

Denmark: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 38.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
38.3%
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
29th
of 129 countries
All-time high
38.3%
in 2023
All-time low
18.9%
in 1994
Years of data
31
1991–2023

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Denmark, 1991–2023

0102030401991200720231991: 19.6 cumulative1993: 22.1 cumulative1994: 18.9 cumulative1995: 19.7 cumulative1996: 23.6 cumulative1997: 21.6 cumulative1998: 21.7 cumulative2000: 23.3 cumulative2001: 25.7 cumulative2002: 26.7 cumulative2003: 32.5 cumulative2004: 32.5 cumulative2005: 29.5 cumulative2006: 30.3 cumulative2007: 31.5 cumulative2008: 34.1 cumulative2009: 31.1 cumulative2010: 30.7 cumulative2011: 30.7 cumulative2012: 32.3 cumulative2013: 33 cumulative2014: 33.3 cumulative2015: 34.5 cumulative2016: 35.4 cumulative2017: 34.4 cumulative2018: 37.1 cumulative2019: 36 cumulative2020: 37.7 cumulative2021: 37.2 cumulative2022: 37.6 cumulative2023: 38.3 cumulative

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

Analysis

Denmark recorded 38.3% for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in 2023. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 16.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Denmark peaked at 38.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 18.9%, in 1994.

That places Denmark 29th out of 129 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in Denmark, 1991 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
1991 19.6% —
1993 22.1% +12.6%
1994 18.9% -14.3%
1995 19.7% +4.2%
1996 23.6% +19.7%
1997 21.6% -8.4%
1998 21.7% +0.3%
2000 23.3% +7.4%
2001 25.7% +10.1%
2002 26.7% +4.2%
2003 32.5% +21.5%
2004 32.5% +0.2%
2005 29.5% -9.3%
2006 30.3% +2.9%
2007 31.5% +3.7%
2008 34.1% +8.5%
2009 31.1% -9.0%
2010 30.7% -1.2%
2011 30.7% -0.0%
2012 32.3% +5.2%
2013 33.0% +2.1%
2014 33.3% +1.0%
2015 34.5% +3.6%
2016 35.4% +2.6%
2017 34.4% -2.9%
2018 37.1% +7.9%
2019 36.0% -3.1%
2020 37.7% +5.0%
2021 37.2% -1.6%
2022 37.6% +1.3%
2023 38.3% +1.7%

Denmark compared with similar countries

  • Denmark's 38.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 37.8%, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
  • Denmark's 38.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 35.4%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 21.0% 18.9% 23.6% 7
2000s 29.7% 23.3% 34.1% 10
2010s 33.7% 30.7% 37.1% 10
2020s 37.7% 37.2% 38.3% 4

Countries ranked near Denmark

  1. 26 Seychelles 38.8% compare
  2. 27 Puerto Rico 38.6% compare
  3. 28 Israel 38.3% compare
  4. 30 Cayman Islands 38.2% compare
  5. 31 Belgium 37.9% compare
  6. 32 Andorra 37.6% compare

See the full ranking of 129 places →

More education data for Denmark

All data for Denmark →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Denmark?
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Denmark was 38.3% 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 Denmark?
The highest recorded value was 38.3% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Denmark?
The lowest recorded value was 18.9% in 1994.
How does Denmark rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
Denmark ranks 29th out of 129 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Denmark?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Denmark 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+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 31 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 Denmark. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-population-25-total/denmark/

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-total/denmark/">Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Denmark</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (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, 2,142 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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