Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands
Netherlands: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 72.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands, 1971–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
In 2023, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands stood at 72.6%. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands peaked at 72.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 1971.
Netherlands ranks 52nd of 141 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 13.5% | — |
| 1996 | 51.3% | +280.1% |
| 1997 | 52.8% | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 52.5% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 53.4% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 54.5% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 55.8% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 56.6% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 58.3% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 59.3% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 59.3% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 62.7% | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 61.6% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 62.3% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 62.6% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 63.2% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 65.3% | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 65.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 65.5% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 66.2% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 69.6% | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 67.6% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 70.8% | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 69.8% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 71.7% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 72.3% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 72.6% | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.5% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 52.5% | 51.3% | 53.4% | 4 |
| 2000s | 58.9% | 54.5% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.8% | 62.3% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.6% | 69.8% | 72.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More education data for Netherlands
- 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)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,022 tertiary education (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 98,851 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands was 72.6% 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 72.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 1971.
- How does Netherlands rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- Netherlands ranks 52nd out of 141 countries with data for 2023.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed upper secondary education.