Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands

Netherlands: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 75.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
75.6%
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
50th
of 140 countries
All-time high
77.0%
in 2019
All-time low
19.1%
in 1971
Years of data
29
1971–2023

Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands, 1971–2023

204060801971199720231971: 19.1 cumulative1996: 65.5 cumulative1997: 66.8 cumulative1998: 67.1 cumulative1999: 66.8 cumulative2000: 66.9 cumulative2001: 67 cumulative2002: 67.9 cumulative2003: 69.7 cumulative2004: 70.6 cumulative2005: 70.9 cumulative2006: 70.4 cumulative2007: 72.4 cumulative2008: 71 cumulative2009: 70.9 cumulative2010: 71.5 cumulative2011: 70.4 cumulative2012: 71.2 cumulative2013: 74 cumulative2014: 73.7 cumulative2015: 73.8 cumulative2016: 73.9 cumulative2017: 76 cumulative2018: 74.8 cumulative2019: 77 cumulative2020: 76.2 cumulative2021: 76 cumulative2022: 76.3 cumulative2023: 75.6 cumulative

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.

Analysis

Netherlands recorded 75.6% for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands peaked at 77.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 19.1%, in 1971.

Netherlands ranks 50th of 140 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

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative) in Netherlands, 1971 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
1971 19.1%
1996 65.5% +242.6%
1997 66.8% +2.0%
1998 67.1% +0.4%
1999 66.8% -0.4%
2000 66.9% +0.2%
2001 67.0% +0.2%
2002 67.9% +1.3%
2003 69.7% +2.7%
2004 70.6% +1.2%
2005 70.9% +0.4%
2006 70.4% -0.7%
2007 72.4% +2.9%
2008 71.0% -2.0%
2009 70.9% -0.2%
2010 71.5% +0.9%
2011 70.4% -1.5%
2012 71.2% +1.1%
2013 74.0% +3.9%
2014 73.7% -0.3%
2015 73.8% +0.1%
2016 73.9% +0.1%
2017 76.0% +2.8%
2018 74.8% -1.6%
2019 77.0% +3.0%
2020 76.2% -1.0%
2021 76.0% -0.3%
2022 76.3% +0.4%
2023 75.6% -0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 19.1% 19.1% 19.1% 1
1990s 66.6% 65.5% 67.1% 4
2000s 69.8% 66.9% 72.4% 10
2010s 73.6% 70.4% 77.0% 10
2020s 76.0% 75.6% 76.3% 4

Countries ranked near Netherlands

  1. 47 Saudi Arabia 77.2% compare
  2. 48 Republic of Moldova 76.9% compare
  3. 49 New Zealand 75.7% compare
  4. 51 United Arab Emirates 75.6% compare
  5. 52 North Macedonia 75.4% compare
  6. 53 Ukraine 75.2% compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More education data for Netherlands

All data for Netherlands →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands?
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands was 75.6% 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 77.0% in 2019.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Netherlands?
The lowest recorded value was 19.1% in 1971.
How does Netherlands rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
Netherlands ranks 50th out of 140 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 2.2%. 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+, male (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Netherlands. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-upper-secondary-population-25-male-percent/netherlands/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
140 places, 2,299 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed upper secondary education.