Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand
New Zealand: Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary was 48.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand, 1981–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand is 48.8%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand peaked at 48.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 27.6%, in 1981.
New Zealand ranks 16th of 77 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 27.6% | — |
| 2001 | 32.9% | +19.4% |
| 2006 | 39.6% | +20.1% |
| 2012 | 43.7% | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 48.8% | +11.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 27.6% | 27.6% | 27.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 36.2% | 32.9% | 39.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 43.7% | 43.7% | 43.7% | 1 |
| 2020s | 48.8% | 48.8% | 48.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 13 United States 54.0% compare
- 14 Norway 50.8% compare
- 15 Cyprus 49.4% compare
- 17 Luxembourg 48.5% compare
- 18 Denmark 48.0% compare
- 19 South Korea 47.9% compare
More education data for New Zealand
- 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)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 26,597 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 2 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand?
- Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in New Zealand was 48.8% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 48.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.6% in 1981.
- How does New Zealand rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
- New Zealand ranks 16th out of 77 countries with data for 2020.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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, urban, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release