Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland
Iceland: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 79.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland, 1999–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland is 79.1%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland peaked at 79.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 44.9%, in 1999.
Iceland ranks 31st of 141 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 44.9% | — |
| 2000 | 46.3% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 45.6% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 47.2% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 50.9% | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 50.3% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 54.8% | +9.1% |
| 2007 | 57.6% | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 58.3% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 60.9% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 61.8% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 64.2% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 65.6% | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 66.6% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 68.5% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 70.8% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 74.3% | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 73.5% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 75.4% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 73.7% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 73.8% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 78.7% | +6.7% |
| 2022 | 78.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 79.1% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.9% | 44.9% | 44.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 52.4% | 45.6% | 60.9% | 9 |
| 2010s | 69.4% | 61.8% | 75.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.6% | 73.8% | 79.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More education data for Iceland
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -7.29 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2,908 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 660 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 13,388 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -7.26 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 6,899 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -7.35 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Iceland was 79.1% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 79.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.9% in 1999.
- How does Iceland rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- Iceland ranks 31st out of 141 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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 upper secondary, population 25+, female (%) (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 upper secondary education.