Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain
Spain: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 35.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain, 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 Spain is 35.4%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and up 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain peaked at 35.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 1970.
Spain ranks 37th of 129 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.7% | — |
| 1981 | 7.2% | +94.2% |
| 1986 | 7.0% | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 8.4% | +20.7% |
| 1992 | 10.8% | +27.8% |
| 1993 | 11.9% | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | +8.2% |
| 1995 | 13.7% | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 15.1% | +10.2% |
| 1997 | 15.7% | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 16.5% | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 18.4% | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 19.3% | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 20.5% | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 21.0% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 21.6% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 23.3% | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 23.6% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 24.5% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 24.9% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 25.7% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 26.5% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 26.9% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 28.2% | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 29.0% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 29.3% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 29.8% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 31.6% | +6.0% |
| 2018 | 31.1% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 32.9% | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 33.4% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 35.0% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 34.6% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 35.9% | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 35.4% | -1.4% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 35.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 37.8%, 94% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Spain's 35.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 35.4%, 1.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain 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 | +94.2% | 3.7% | 7.2% |
| 1992 | +27.8% | 8.4% | 10.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1980s | 7.1% | 7.0% | 7.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 13.6% | 8.4% | 17.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.1% | 18.4% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.1% | 25.7% | 32.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.9% | 33.4% | 35.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More education data for Spain
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.71 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 98.76 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 344,203 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 37,817 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 570,954 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 538,977 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.71 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain?
- Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in Spain was 35.4% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 35.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 1970.
- How does Spain rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- Spain ranks 37th out of 129 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.