Educational attainment rate, completed … short-cycle tertiary female in Norway

Norway: Educational attainment rate, completed … short-cycle tertiary female was 48.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
48.7%
Change on year
up 6.5%
World rank
14th
of 128 countries
All-time high
48.7%
in 2023
All-time low
4.7%
in 1970
Years of data
31
1970–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Norway, 1970–2023

010203040501970199620231970: 4.7 %1975: 6.2 %1980: 8.9 %1990: 16.3 %1996: 24.3 %1997: 24.7 %1998: 26.3 %1999: 28.1 %2000: 29.8 %2001: 31.4 %2002: 32.2 %2003: 30.4 %2004: 27.1 %2005: 28.2 %2006: 29.1 %2007: 30 %2008: 31.3 %2009: 32 %2010: 33 %2011: 34.4 %2012: 40 %2013: 41.3 %2014: 37.5 %2015: 38.5 %2016: 39.4 %2017: 40.5 %2018: 44.9 %2019: 42.2 %2020: 47.4 %2022: 45.7 %2023: 48.7 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Norway recorded 48.7% for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in 2023. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.

That represents a change of up 6.5% on the previous year and up 17.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Norway peaked at 48.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1970.

Norway ranks 14th of 128 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.

Educational attainment rate, completed … short-cycle tertiary female in Norway, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%) in Norway, 1970 to 2023.
Year % Change
1970 4.7% —
1975 6.2% +30.9%
1980 8.9% +42.9%
1990 16.3% +84.2%
1996 24.3% +48.7%
1997 24.7% +1.8%
1998 26.3% +6.3%
1999 28.1% +7.2%
2000 29.8% +5.9%
2001 31.4% +5.3%
2002 32.2% +2.8%
2003 30.4% -5.8%
2004 27.1% -10.6%
2005 28.2% +4.0%
2006 29.1% +3.0%
2007 30.0% +3.1%
2008 31.3% +4.4%
2009 32.0% +2.4%
2010 33.0% +3.1%
2011 34.4% +4.2%
2012 40.0% +16.2%
2013 41.3% +3.4%
2014 37.5% -9.1%
2015 38.5% +2.6%
2016 39.4% +2.4%
2017 40.5% +2.6%
2018 44.9% +11.1%
2019 42.2% -6.1%
2020 47.4% +12.4%
2022 45.7% -3.6%
2023 48.7% +6.5%

Norway compared with similar countries

  • Norway's 48.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 38.7%, 1.3× the median. (56 countries reporting)
  • Norway's 48.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 37.3%, 1.3× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Educational attainment rate, completed … short-cycle tertiary female in Norway changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1990 +84.2% 8.9% 16.3%
1996 +48.7% 16.3% 24.3%
1980 +42.9% 6.2% 8.9%
1975 +30.9% 4.7% 6.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 5.5% 4.7% 6.2% 2
1980s 8.9% 8.9% 8.9% 1
1990s 23.9% 16.3% 28.1% 5
2000s 30.1% 27.1% 32.2% 10
2010s 39.2% 33.0% 44.9% 10
2020s 47.3% 45.7% 48.7% 3

Countries ranked near Norway

  1. 11 United Kingdom 50.5% compare
  2. 12 Bahrain 50.3% compare
  3. 13 Armenia 50.2% compare
  4. 15 Iceland 48.5% compare
  5. 16 Estonia 47.8% compare
  6. 17 Lithuania 46.4% compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More education data for Norway

All data for Norway →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Norway?
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Norway was 48.7% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Norway?
The highest recorded value was 48.7% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Norway?
The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1970.
How does Norway rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Norway ranks 14th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Norway?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Norway data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Norway. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-3/norway/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle 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
128 places, 2,110 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release