Educational attainment rate … attainment short-cycle tertiary rural in Iceland
Iceland: Educational attainment rate … attainment short-cycle tertiary rural was 15.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Iceland, 1999–2023
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.
Educational attainment rate … attainment short-cycle tertiary rural in Iceland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 11.2% | — |
| 2000 | 13.1% | +16.5% |
| 2001 | 12.7% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 14.1% | +10.9% |
| 2004 | 9.5% | -32.2% |
| 2005 | 10.4% | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 16.3% | +55.6% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 16.0% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 15.1% | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 13.5% | -10.2% |
| 2016 | 14.6% | +8.1% |
| 2017 | 13.6% | -7.3% |
| 2018 | 13.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 17.5% | +26.3% |
| 2021 | 15.5% | -11.8% |
| 2022 | 14.4% | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 15.9% | +10.1% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 15.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 22.5%, 70% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 15.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.9%, 72% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More education data for Iceland
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.24 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 98.18 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,661 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6,167 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,056 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 32,314 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
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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CSV · JSON — 18 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release