Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total was 1.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
1.3%
Change on year
up 18.8%
World rank
14th
of 66 countries
All-time high
1.3%
in 2021
All-time low
0.9%
in 2014
Years of data
5
2013–2021

Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2013–2021

00.511.52013201720212013: 0.916 cumulative2014: 0.884 cumulative2017: 1 cumulative2020: 1.1 cumulative2021: 1.3 cumulative

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

Analysis

In 2021, educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 1.3%. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.8% on the previous year and up 39.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 1.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 2014.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 14th of 66 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2013 to 2021.
Year cumulative Change
2013 0.9%
2014 0.9% -3.5%
2017 1.0% +13.2%
2020 1.1% +7.8%
2021 1.3% +18.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 0.9% 0.9% 1.0% 3
2020s 1.2% 1.1% 1.3% 2

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 11 Ireland 1.5% compare
  2. 12 Norway 1.5% compare
  3. 13 Brunei Darussalam 1.3% compare
  4. 15 Iceland 1.3% compare
  5. 16 Denmark 1.3% compare
  6. 17 Austria 1.2% compare

See the full ranking of 66 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 1.3% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 2021.
What is the lowest educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 2014.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 14th out of 66 countries with data for 2021.
Is educational attainment, doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, Doctoral or equivalent, population 25+, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern 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-doctoral-or-equivalent-population-25-total-percent-cumulative/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, Doctoral 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
66 places, 683 data points, 1994–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Doctoral or equivalent.