Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Ireland
Ireland: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 85.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Ireland, 1991–2023
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 Ireland is 85.1%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Ireland peaked at 85.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 39.2%, in 1992.
Ireland ranks 20th of 141 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Ireland, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 42.8% | — |
| 1992 | 39.2% | -8.3% |
| 1993 | 41.4% | +5.4% |
| 1994 | 42.0% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 44.1% | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 46.5% | +5.5% |
| 1997 | 46.1% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 56.5% | +22.6% |
| 2006 | 69.4% | +23.0% |
| 2007 | 66.7% | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 65.1% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 66.3% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 68.3% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 68.8% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 69.9% | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 71.6% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 75.2% | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 75.3% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 75.8% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 73.3% | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 77.8% | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 78.1% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 79.6% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 82.1% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 85.1% | +3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 43.1% | 39.2% | 46.5% | 7 |
| 2000s | 64.8% | 56.5% | 69.4% | 5 |
| 2010s | 73.4% | 68.3% | 78.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.2% | 79.6% | 85.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 223,493 (2022)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 102,720 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -6.21 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 247,231 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.9368 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 35,618 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,544 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 134,541 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1981 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Ireland?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Ireland was 85.1% 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 85.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 39.2% in 1992.
- How does Ireland rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- Ireland ranks 20th out of 141 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.