Educational attainment rate … both post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada
Canada: Educational attainment rate … both post-secondary non-tertiary was 68.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada, 1976–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada stood at 68.8%. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada peaked at 68.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 30.9%, in 1976.
Canada ranks 2nd of 110 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Educational attainment rate … both post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 30.9% | — |
| 1981 | 35.3% | +14.2% |
| 1990 | 36.1% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 36.5% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 37.5% | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 39.1% | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 41.6% | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 42.6% | +2.4% |
| 1996 | 43.4% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 45.7% | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 46.4% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 47.2% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 47.6% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 49.1% | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 50.0% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 51.2% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 51.9% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 53.3% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 56.0% | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 55.2% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 55.8% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 56.2% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 57.3% | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 59.6% | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 59.0% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 59.4% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 59.8% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 60.9% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 60.4% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 62.3% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 63.2% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 64.6% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 65.3% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 62.2% | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 67.3% | +8.1% |
| 2023 | 68.0% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 68.8% | +1.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 68.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 39.4%, 1.7× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30.9% | 30.9% | 30.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 35.3% | 35.3% | 35.3% | 1 |
| 1990s | 41.6% | 36.1% | 47.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.6% | 47.6% | 56.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.7% | 57.3% | 64.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.3% | 62.2% | 68.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 95.11 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 95.01 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada?
- Educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary in Canada was 68.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 68.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.9% in 1976.
- How does Canada rank for educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary?
- Canada ranks 2nd out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed post-secondary non-tertiary rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release