Educational attainment rate … female post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland

Iceland: Educational attainment rate … female post-secondary non-tertiary was 51.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
51.9%
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
19th
of 111 countries
All-time high
52.2%
in 2018
All-time low
31.9%
in 2005
Years of data
18
2005–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland, 2005–2023

02040602005201420232005: 31.9 %2007: 34.7 %2008: 35.7 %2009: 37.5 %2010: 38.2 %2011: 39.1 %2012: 41.3 %2013: 42 %2014: 43.3 %2015: 45.6 %2016: 47.2 %2017: 49.8 %2018: 52.2 %2019: 48.5 %2020: 47.9 %2021: 47.6 %2022: 50.4 %2023: 51.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland stood at 51.9%.

That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 23.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland peaked at 52.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 2005.

That places Iceland 19th out of 111 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

Educational attainment rate … female post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%) in Iceland, 2005 to 2023.
Year % Change
2005 31.9% —
2007 34.7% +8.9%
2008 35.7% +2.9%
2009 37.5% +5.0%
2010 38.2% +1.8%
2011 39.1% +2.4%
2012 41.3% +5.7%
2013 42.0% +1.8%
2014 43.3% +3.0%
2015 45.6% +5.3%
2016 47.2% +3.5%
2017 49.8% +5.5%
2018 52.2% +4.9%
2019 48.5% -7.2%
2020 47.9% -1.3%
2021 47.6% -0.7%
2022 50.4% +5.9%
2023 51.9% +3.0%

Iceland compared with similar countries

  • Iceland's 51.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 41.0%, 1.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
  • Iceland's 51.9% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 38.3%, 1.4× the median. (40 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 34.9% 31.9% 37.5% 4
2010s 44.7% 38.2% 52.2% 10
2020s 49.4% 47.6% 51.9% 4

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 16 Armenia 55.5% compare
  2. 17 Israel 53.4% compare
  3. 18 United States 52.0% compare
  4. 20 South Africa 51.1% compare
  5. 21 Norway 50.8% compare
  6. 22 Bahrain 50.6% compare

See the full ranking of 111 places →

More education data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland?
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland was 51.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 52.2% in 2018.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 2005.
How does Iceland rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
Iceland ranks 19th out of 111 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 23.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iceland 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-post-secondary-non-tertiary-education-or-higher-2/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
111 places, 1,335 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release