Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population in Ireland

Ireland: Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population was 16.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
16.0%
Change on year
up 10.0%
World rank
13th
of 81 countries
All-time high
16.0%
in 2023
All-time low
9.2%
in 2011
Years of data
11
2011–2023

Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population in Ireland, 2011–2023

0510152011201720232011: 9.2 cumulative2014: 9.2 cumulative2015: 9.5 cumulative2016: 10.2 cumulative2017: 11.4 cumulative2018: 10.9 cumulative2019: 11 cumulative2020: 11.9 cumulative2021: 13.3 cumulative2022: 14.5 cumulative2023: 16 cumulative

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

Analysis

In 2023, educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population in Ireland stood at 16.0%. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

That represents a change of up 10.0% on the previous year and up 72.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population in Ireland peaked at 16.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 2011.

That places Ireland 13th out of 81 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in Ireland, 2011 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
2011 9.2%
2014 9.2% +0.4%
2015 9.5% +3.2%
2016 10.2% +6.9%
2017 11.4% +11.4%
2018 10.9% -4.2%
2019 11.0% +1.2%
2020 11.9% +7.5%
2021 13.3% +12.4%
2022 14.5% +9.0%
2023 16.0% +10.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 10.2% 9.2% 11.4% 7
2020s 13.9% 11.9% 16.0% 4

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 10 Iceland 16.7% compare
  2. 11 Czechia 16.6% compare
  3. 12 Belgium 16.0% compare
  4. 14 Cyprus 15.9% compare
  5. 15 Türkiye 15.8% compare
  6. 16 Lithuania 15.8% compare

See the full ranking of 81 places →

More education data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population in Ireland?
Educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population in Ireland was 16.0% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 16.0% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 2011.
How does Ireland rank for educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population?
Ireland ranks 13th out of 81 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment, at least master's or equivalent, population rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 72.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-master-s-or-equivalent-population-25-total-percent/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
81 places, 899 data points, 1990–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.