Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Portugal
Portugal: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 46.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Portugal, 1970–2024
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 Portugal is 46.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.3% on the previous year and up 45.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Portugal peaked at 46.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1970.
Portugal ranks 85th of 140 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Portugal, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.5% | — |
| 1981 | 4.9% | +93.6% |
| 1991 | 8.2% | +66.5% |
| 1993 | 17.7% | +115.7% |
| 1994 | 18.3% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 18.9% | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 18.9% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 19.0% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | -23.7% |
| 1999 | 15.3% | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 16.3% | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 16.2% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 17.7% | +9.3% |
| 2004 | 19.7% | +11.3% |
| 2005 | 20.4% | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 21.5% | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 21.2% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 21.7% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 23.0% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 24.0% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 26.5% | +10.3% |
| 2012 | 28.4% | +7.4% |
| 2013 | 30.0% | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 32.2% | +7.2% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | +5.6% |
| 2016 | 35.3% | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 35.6% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 34.7% | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 38.9% | +12.0% |
| 2020 | 42.3% | +8.9% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 44.1% | +8.4% |
| 2023 | 44.6% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 46.9% | +5.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 16.3% | 8.2% | 19.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 19.3% | 15.8% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.9% | 24.0% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.7% | 40.7% | 46.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More education data for Portugal
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 128,743 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 741,752 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 598,661 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0566 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 598,661 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.89 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Portugal?
- Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Portugal was 46.9% 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 46.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1970.
- How does Portugal rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
- Portugal ranks 85th out of 140 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal 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.