Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia

Zambia: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education was 18.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
18.2%
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
75th
of 102 countries
All-time high
18.2%
in 2023
All-time low
1.3%
in 1980
Years of data
5
1980–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia, 1980–2023

051015201980200120231980: 1.3 %2015: 16.8 %2017: 18.2 %2021: 17.9 %2023: 18.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia is 18.2%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.

The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia peaked at 18.2% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1980.

Zambia ranks 75th of 102 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, male (%) in Zambia, 1980 to 2023.
Year % Change
1980 1.3%
2015 16.8% +1229.2%
2017 18.2% +8.3%
2021 17.9% -1.6%
2023 18.2% +1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.3% 1.3% 1.3% 1
2010s 17.5% 16.8% 18.2% 2
2020s 18.1% 17.9% 18.2% 2

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 72 Mali 19.1% compare
  2. 73 Bangladesh 18.7% compare
  3. 74 Ecuador 18.6% compare
  4. 76 Peru 17.8% compare
  5. 77 Rwanda 17.8% compare
  6. 78 Ghana 17.8% compare

See the full ranking of 102 places →

More education data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia?
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia was 18.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 18.2% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1980.
How does Zambia rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Zambia ranks 75th out of 102 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zambia 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-6/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
102 places, 1,597 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release