Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in South Korea
South Korea: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 76.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in South Korea, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in South Korea stood at 76.1%. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in South Korea peaked at 76.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.3%, in 1970.
That places South Korea 44th out of 141 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in South Korea, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7.3% | — |
| 1980 | 16.9% | +129.9% |
| 1985 | 46.0% | +172.4% |
| 1990 | 37.2% | -19.2% |
| 1995 | 46.4% | +24.6% |
| 2000 | 55.3% | +19.3% |
| 2001 | 55.2% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 56.4% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 58.5% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 59.6% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 62.0% | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 62.2% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 63.5% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 64.3% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 58.7% | -8.7% |
| 2010 | 66.2% | +12.8% |
| 2011 | 66.1% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 66.7% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 67.7% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 69.0% | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 70.4% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 71.0% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 71.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 71.7% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 72.4% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 72.9% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 73.5% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 74.0% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 75.4% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 76.1% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.3% | 7.3% | 7.3% | 1 |
| 1980s | 31.5% | 16.9% | 46.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 41.8% | 37.2% | 46.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 59.6% | 55.2% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.2% | 66.1% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.4% | 72.9% | 76.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 41 Singapore 77.0% compare
- 42 France 76.7% compare
- 43 Tajikistan 76.2% compare
- 45 Luxembourg 76.0% compare
- 46 Qatar 75.2% compare
- 47 New Zealand 74.6% compare
More education data for South Korea
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 132,721 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 40,412 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.23 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -0.0122 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 1.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -2.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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 South Korea?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in South Korea was 76.1% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 76.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.3% in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- South Korea ranks 44th out of 141 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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.