Educational attainment rate … both short-cycle tertiary urban in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Educational attainment rate … both short-cycle tertiary urban was 11.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Sri Lanka, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 11.1% for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.8% on the previous year and up 60.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Sri Lanka peaked at 49.3% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 1981.
That places Sri Lanka 92nd out of 101 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Educational attainment rate … both short-cycle tertiary urban in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 3.9% | — |
| 1981 | 2.4% | -38.0% |
| 2001 | 49.3% | +1946.6% |
| 2010 | 5.4% | -89.1% |
| 2011 | 6.7% | +23.9% |
| 2013 | 6.8% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | -5.3% |
| 2017 | 8.4% | +26.9% |
| 2018 | 8.6% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 8.7% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 8.2% | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 9.7% | +18.8% |
| 2022 | 9.5% | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 10.4% | +9.2% |
| 2024 | 11.1% | +6.8% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 11.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23.2%, 48% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Educational attainment rate … both short-cycle tertiary urban in Sri Lanka 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +1946.6% | 2.4% | 49.3% |
| 2010 | -89.1% | 49.3% | 5.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 49.3% | 49.3% | 49.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 5.4% | 8.7% | 9 |
| 2020s | 9.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 91.41 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 90.86 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Sri Lanka?
- Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Sri Lanka was 11.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 49.3% in 2001.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 1981.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
- Sri Lanka ranks 92nd out of 101 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 60.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 17 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release