Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy
Italy: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 17.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy, 1971–2023
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 Italy is 17.7%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.6% on the previous year and up 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy peaked at 17.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1971.
Italy ranks 82nd of 129 countries on this measure, 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
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.6% | — |
| 1981 | 4.1% | +58.8% |
| 1992 | 6.0% | +45.5% |
| 1993 | 5.9% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 6.2% | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 6.4% | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 6.7% | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 7.0% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 8.0% | +14.1% |
| 1999 | 8.5% | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 8.6% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 9.4% | +8.5% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 9.0% | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 9.5% | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 10.6% | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 11.1% | +5.1% |
| 2008 | 11.7% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 11.9% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 12.1% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 12.2% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 12.8% | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 13.3% | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 13.8% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 14.4% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 14.7% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 15.6% | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 16.2% | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 16.5% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 16.6% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 16.4% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 16.6% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 17.7% | +6.6% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 17.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 37.8%, 47% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Italy's 17.7% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 35.4%, 50% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Italy changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +58.8% | 2.6% | 4.1% |
| 1992 | +45.5% | 4.1% | 6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1980s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1990s | 6.8% | 5.9% | 8.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 10.1% | 8.6% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.1% | 12.1% | 16.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.8% | 16.4% | 17.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More education data for Italy
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 97.84 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 97.94 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 423,797 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 6,592 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 667,641 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 620,157 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.63 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.167 % change on previous year (2023)
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 17.7% 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 17.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1971.
- How does Italy rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- Italy ranks 82nd 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 33.2%. 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+, total (%) (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.