Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States
United States: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary was 49.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States, 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 United States stood at 49.8%. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States peaked at 49.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.2%, in 1970.
That places United States 6th out of 129 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 21.2% | — |
| 1975 | 26.3% | +23.8% |
| 1979 | 31.1% | +18.3% |
| 1980 | 31.9% | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 32.2% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 45.2% | +40.7% |
| 1994 | 46.5% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 32.3% | -30.6% |
| 1999 | 33.2% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 33.8% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 34.4% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 35.2% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 35.8% | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 37.5% | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 36.2% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 37.5% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 37.8% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 38.6% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 39.1% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 39.9% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 41.5% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 41.9% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 42.3% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 43.5% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 44.7% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 45.2% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 46.3% | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 48.1% | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 47.9% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 48.1% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 49.1% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 49.8% | +1.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 49.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 37.8%, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +40.7% | 32.2% | 45.2% |
| 1998 | -30.6% | 46.5% | 32.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.2% | 21.2% | 31.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 32.0% | 31.9% | 32.2% | 2 |
| 1990s | 39.3% | 32.3% | 46.5% | 4 |
| 2000s | 36.5% | 33.8% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.5% | 39.1% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.6% | 47.9% | 49.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 3 United Arab Emirates 55.7% compare
- 4 Singapore 53.2% compare
- 5 Ireland 51.2% compare
- 7 South Korea 49.6% compare
- 8 Canada 49.3% compare
- 9 United Kingdom 48.7% compare
More education data for United States
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 96.21 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 96.02 (2022)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States?
- Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary in United States was 49.8% 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.2% in 1970.
- How does United States rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary?
- United States ranks 6th out of 129 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.