Educational attainment rate, completed Bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Educational attainment rate, completed Bachelor's or equivalent was 33.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed Bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom, 2013–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom is 33.4%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom peaked at 33.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28.0%, in 2013.
That places United Kingdom 3rd out of 85 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
Educational attainment rate, completed Bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 28.0% | — |
| 2014 | 28.6% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 31.5% | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 32.1% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 33.4% | +3.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 29.4% | 28.0% | 31.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 32.8% | 32.1% | 33.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 1 Switzerland 39.8% compare
- 2 Luxembourg 37.5% compare
- 4 Belgium 32.2% compare
- 5 Ireland 30.7% compare
- 6 Germany 29.4% compare
More education data for United Kingdom
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 281,128 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.3% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.0% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 11 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 5 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 102.17 (2023)
- School enrollment, primary 102.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom?
- Educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent in United Kingdom was 33.4% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 33.4% in 2021.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.0% in 2013.
- How does United Kingdom rank for educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent?
- United Kingdom ranks 3rd out of 85 countries with data for 2021.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed bachelor's or equivalent rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed Bachelor's or equivalent education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release