Educational attainment rate … Educational short-cycle tertiary rural in Ireland
Ireland: Educational attainment rate … Educational short-cycle tertiary rural was 41.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Ireland, 1993–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Ireland is 41.7%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 8.6% on the previous year and up 40.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Ireland peaked at 41.7% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 13.2%, in 1993.
Ireland ranks 6th of 95 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Educational attainment rate … Educational short-cycle tertiary rural in Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 13.2% | — |
| 1994 | 13.5% | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 14.4% | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 16.3% | +13.8% |
| 1997 | 17.0% | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 18.3% | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 19.8% | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 21.2% | +7.2% |
| 2005 | 21.9% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 23.8% | +8.7% |
| 2007 | 25.9% | +8.6% |
| 2008 | 27.2% | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 29.0% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 25.9% | -16.0% |
| 2012 | 29.6% | +14.2% |
| 2013 | 31.4% | +6.3% |
| 2014 | 31.0% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 32.5% | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 32.4% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 30.9% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 34.1% | +10.5% |
| 2019 | 34.3% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 37.0% | +8.0% |
| 2021 | 38.4% | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 41.7% | +8.6% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 41.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 25.0%, 1.7× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 41.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 23.9%, 1.7× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.9% | 13.2% | 17.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 23.4% | 18.3% | 29.0% | 8 |
| 2010s | 31.3% | 25.9% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.0% | 37.0% | 41.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 3 United Kingdom 47.0% compare
- 4 Russia 45.8% compare
- 5 Luxembourg 42.0% compare
- 7 United States 39.1% compare
- 8 Belgium 37.0% compare
- 9 Canada 36.9% compare
More education data for Ireland
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.47 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 98.19 (2022)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,531 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Ireland?
- Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Ireland was 41.7% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 41.7% in 2022.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.2% in 1993.
- How does Ireland rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
- Ireland ranks 6th out of 95 countries with data for 2022.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 40.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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, rural, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release