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

Iceland: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education was 15.9% in 2023. β–² Rising

Latest (2023)
15.9%
Change on year
up 10.1%
World rank
37th
of 95 countries
All-time high
17.5%
in 2020
All-time low
9.5%
in 2004
Years of data
18
1999–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland, 1999–2023

051015201999201120231999: 11.2 %2000: 13.1 %2001: 12.7 %2002: 14.1 %2004: 9.5 %2005: 10.4 %2010: 16.3 %2011: 15.7 %2013: 16 %2014: 15.1 %2015: 13.5 %2016: 14.6 %2017: 13.6 %2018: 13.9 %2020: 17.5 %2021: 15.5 %2022: 14.4 %2023: 15.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland is 15.9%, measured in 2023.

The figure is up 10.1% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland peaked at 17.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.5%, in 2004.

Iceland ranks 37th of 95 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 11.2% 11.2% 11.2% 1
2000s 12.0% 9.5% 14.1% 5
2010s 14.8% 13.5% 16.3% 8
2020s 15.8% 14.4% 17.5% 4

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 34 Malta 17.8% compare
  2. 35 Poland 17.7% compare
  3. 36 Republic of Moldova 17.2% compare
  4. 38 Philippines 15.5% compare
  5. 39 Brunei Darussalam 15.3% compare
  6. 40 Armenia 15.2% compare

See the full ranking of 95 places β†’

More education data for Iceland

All data for Iceland β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland?
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland was 15.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 17.5% in 2020.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 9.5% in 2004.
How does Iceland rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Iceland ranks 37th out of 95 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iceland 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, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-9/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, male (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
95 places, 1,549 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release