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

Ireland: Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary was 65.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
65.9%
World rank
4th
of 111 countries
All-time high
65.9%
in 2023
All-time low
3.6%
in 1971
Years of data
12
1971–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland, 1971–2023

02040601971199720231971: 3.6 %1981: 6.5 %1991: 12.7 %2006: 43.8 %2007: 42.9 %2008: 42.1 %2009: 44.7 %2010: 45.5 %2011: 38.3 %2015: 54.1 %2017: 43.9 %2023: 65.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland is 65.9%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

The figure is up 72.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Ireland peaked at 65.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 1971.

That places Ireland 4th out of 111 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 3.6% 3.6% 3.6% 1
1980s 6.5% 6.5% 6.5% 1
1990s 12.7% 12.7% 12.7% 1
2000s 43.3% 42.1% 44.7% 4
2010s 45.5% 38.3% 54.1% 4
2020s 65.9% 65.9% 65.9% 1

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 1 Kazakhstan 79.0% compare
  2. 2 Canada 70.2% compare
  3. 3 Lithuania 68.8% compare
  4. 5 United Arab Emirates 61.2% compare
  5. 6 Singapore 60.1% compare
  6. 7 Qatar 59.1% compare

See the full ranking of 111 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 65.9% 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 65.9% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 1971.
How does Ireland rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
Ireland ranks 4th out of 111 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 72.2%. 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, female (%). 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 21 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-post-secondary-non-tertiary-education-or-higher-2/ireland/

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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