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

Portugal: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education was 29.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
29.9%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
43rd
of 101 countries
All-time high
29.9%
in 2022
All-time low
10.3%
in 1993
Years of data
32
1992–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Portugal, 1992–2023

10152025301992200720231992: 10.5 %1993: 10.3 %1994: 10.9 %1995: 11.7 %1996: 11.1 %1997: 10.8 %1998: 10.6 %1999: 10.9 %2000: 11.2 %2001: 12.3 %2002: 12.8 %2003: 15 %2004: 16.3 %2005: 16.6 %2006: 17.1 %2007: 17.4 %2008: 17.7 %2009: 18 %2010: 19.3 %2011: 20.6 %2012: 22.5 %2013: 23.7 %2014: 25.6 %2015: 26.7 %2016: 26.7 %2017: 23.6 %2018: 22.7 %2019: 24.9 %2020: 27.1 %2021: 29.2 %2022: 29.9 %2023: 29.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Portugal stood at 29.9%.

The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 25.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Portugal peaked at 29.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.3%, in 1993.

That places Portugal 43rd out of 101 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, female (%) in Portugal, 1992 to 2023.
Year % Change
1992 10.5%
1993 10.3% -2.0%
1994 10.9% +5.5%
1995 11.7% +7.0%
1996 11.1% -4.9%
1997 10.8% -2.6%
1998 10.6% -1.9%
1999 10.9% +2.8%
2000 11.2% +3.0%
2001 12.3% +9.4%
2002 12.8% +4.6%
2003 15.0% +17.2%
2004 16.3% +8.4%
2005 16.6% +1.7%
2006 17.1% +2.8%
2007 17.4% +2.2%
2008 17.7% +1.3%
2009 18.0% +1.8%
2010 19.3% +7.4%
2011 20.6% +6.3%
2012 22.5% +9.3%
2013 23.7% +5.6%
2014 25.6% +7.7%
2015 26.7% +4.5%
2016 26.7% -0.2%
2017 23.6% -11.3%
2018 22.7% -3.9%
2019 24.9% +9.7%
2020 27.1% +8.8%
2021 29.2% +7.8%
2022 29.9% +2.4%
2023 29.9% -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 10.9% 10.3% 11.7% 8
2000s 15.4% 11.2% 18.0% 10
2010s 23.6% 19.3% 26.7% 10
2020s 29.0% 27.1% 29.9% 4

Countries ranked near Portugal

  1. 40 Malta 32.1% compare
  2. 41 Palestine, State of 31.8% compare
  3. 42 Tonga 30.1% compare
  4. 44 Tajikistan 28.9% compare
  5. 45 Germany 28.5% compare
  6. 46 Brunei Darussalam 27.7% compare

See the full ranking of 101 places →

More education data for Portugal

All data for Portugal →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Portugal?
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Portugal was 29.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Portugal?
The highest recorded value was 29.9% in 2022.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Portugal?
The lowest recorded value was 10.3% in 1993.
How does Portugal rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Portugal ranks 43rd out of 101 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Portugal?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Portugal 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Portugal. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-8/portugal/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
101 places, 1,571 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release