Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland

Ireland: Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary was 60.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
60.2%
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
2nd
of 30 countries
All-time high
60.2%
in 2023
All-time low
34.3%
in 2006
Years of data
12
2006–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland, 2006–2023

02040602006201420232006: 34.3 %2007: 36.4 %2008: 37.6 %2009: 40.1 %2010: 41.9 %2011: 43.2 %2012: 45.1 %2013: 46.5 %2015: 46.6 %2021: 57.1 %2022: 57.7 %2023: 60.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 60.2% for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in 2023. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

The figure is up 4.4% on the previous year and up 29.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland peaked at 60.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 34.3%, in 2006.

Ireland ranks 2nd of 30 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, both sexes (%) in Ireland, 2006 to 2023.
Year % Change
2006 34.3%
2007 36.4% +6.2%
2008 37.6% +3.3%
2009 40.1% +6.8%
2010 41.9% +4.4%
2011 43.2% +3.2%
2012 45.1% +4.2%
2013 46.5% +3.1%
2015 46.6% +0.3%
2021 57.1% +22.6%
2022 57.7% +1.0%
2023 60.2% +4.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 37.1% 34.3% 40.1% 4
2010s 44.7% 41.9% 46.6% 5
2020s 58.4% 57.1% 60.2% 3

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 1 Lithuania 63.2% compare
  2. 3 Sweden 52.5% compare
  3. 4 Armenia 51.6% compare
  4. 5 Latvia 49.9% compare

See the full ranking of 30 places →

More education data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland?
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland was 60.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 60.2% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 34.3% in 2006.
How does Ireland rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
Ireland ranks 2nd out of 30 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ireland 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, non-immigrant background, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-post-secondary-non-tertiary-education-or-higher-17/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
30 places, 380 data points, 2006–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release