Educational attainment rate … rural both post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea

South Korea: Educational attainment rate … rural both post-secondary non-tertiary was 33.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
33.8%
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
19th
of 79 countries
All-time high
33.8%
in 2024
All-time low
26.3%
in 2013
Years of data
11
2013–2024

Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea, 2013–2024

01020302013201820242013: 26.3 %2014: 26.9 %2016: 27.5 %2017: 28 %2018: 29 %2019: 30 %2020: 30.3 %2021: 31.2 %2022: 32.2 %2023: 33.2 %2024: 33.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea stood at 33.8%. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 25.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea peaked at 33.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 26.3%, in 2013.

South Korea ranks 19th of 79 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Educational attainment rate … rural both post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, both sexes (%) in South Korea, 2013 to 2024.
Year % Change
2013 26.3% —
2014 26.9% +2.5%
2016 27.5% +2.2%
2017 28.0% +1.8%
2018 29.0% +3.6%
2019 30.0% +3.4%
2020 30.3% +1.0%
2021 31.2% +2.9%
2022 32.2% +3.1%
2023 33.2% +3.2%
2024 33.8% +1.9%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 33.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.3%, 1.1× the median. (40 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 33.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 21.8%, 1.6× the median. (11 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 28.0% 26.3% 30.0% 6
2020s 32.1% 30.3% 33.8% 5

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 16 Malta 35.1% compare
  2. 17 Armenia 34.7% compare
  3. 18 Switzerland 34.6% compare
  4. 20 Cyprus 32.3% compare
  5. 21 Iceland 31.1% compare
  6. 22 Norway 31.1% compare

See the full ranking of 79 places →

More education data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea?
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea was 33.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 33.8% in 2024.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 26.3% in 2013.
How does South Korea rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
South Korea ranks 19th out of 79 countries with data for 2024.
Is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Korea 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, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in South Korea. 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-5/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
79 places, 889 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release