Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Canada
Canada: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 89.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Canada, 1986–2024
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 Canada is 89.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Canada peaked at 89.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 46.6%, in 1986.
Canada ranks 12th of 140 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Canada, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 46.6% | — |
| 1991 | 51.2% | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 70.6% | +38.1% |
| 1997 | 72.5% | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 73.2% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 73.9% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 75.0% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 71.5% | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 77.0% | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 78.1% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 78.6% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 79.5% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 79.7% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.8% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 81.3% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 82.5% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 82.8% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 83.5% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 84.2% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 84.6% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 85.3% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 84.0% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 86.0% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 86.7% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 87.1% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 87.8% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 85.9% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 88.7% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 89.1% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 89.3% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 46.6% | 46.6% | 46.6% | 1 |
| 1990s | 68.3% | 51.2% | 73.9% | 5 |
| 2000s | 78.3% | 71.5% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.7% | 82.5% | 87.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.1% | 85.9% | 89.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- 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 141,045 (2000)
- 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 Canada?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Canada was 89.3% 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 Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 89.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.6% in 1986.
- How does Canada rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- Canada ranks 12th out of 140 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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+, male (%) (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.