Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Africa
South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary was 1.01 GPIA in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Africa, 2001–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in GPIA.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.01 GPIA for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in 2024.
The figure is up 6.0% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Africa peaked at 1.21 GPIA in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.8691 GPIA, in 2008.
That places South Africa 47th out of 71 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Africa, year by year
| Year | GPIA | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0.8709 GPIA | — |
| 2002 | 0.8848 GPIA | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 0.8977 GPIA | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 0.9272 GPIA | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 0.9253 GPIA | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 0.9182 GPIA | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.9218 GPIA | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 0.8691 GPIA | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 0.9005 GPIA | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.05 GPIA | +16.1% |
| 2011 | 1.11 GPIA | +5.7% |
| 2012 | 1.16 GPIA | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 1.1 GPIA | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 1.14 GPIA | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 1.18 GPIA | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 1.08 GPIA | -8.1% |
| 2017 | 1.21 GPIA | +12.0% |
| 2018 | 1.04 GPIA | -14.1% |
| 2019 | 1.12 GPIA | +7.1% |
| 2021 | 0.9546 GPIA | -14.6% |
| 2024 | 1.01 GPIA | +6.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.9017 GPIA | 0.8691 GPIA | 0.9272 GPIA | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.12 GPIA | 1.04 GPIA | 1.21 GPIA | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9835 GPIA | 0.9546 GPIA | 1.01 GPIA | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -2.55 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 225,583 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 61,727 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 748,573 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -1.43 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 444,590 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -4.38 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Africa?
- Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Africa was 1.01 GPIA in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 GPIA in 2017.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8691 GPIA in 2008.
- How does South Africa rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
- South Africa ranks 47th out of 71 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, adjusted gender parity index (GPIA). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release