Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in South Africa
South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education was 8.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in South Africa, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 8.4% for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in 2024. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 59.7% on the previous year and up 309.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in South Africa peaked at 8.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2006.
South Africa ranks 59th of 95 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.5% | — |
| 2002 | 1.8% | +20.9% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -12.0% |
| 2004 | 1.4% | -10.2% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 1.5% | +10.0% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | -6.6% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | +21.2% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | +21.5% |
| 2011 | 2.0% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -13.7% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | +121.4% |
| 2014 | 2.1% | -46.4% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | +14.9% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | +88.4% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -20.9% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | +45.9% |
| 2019 | 5.2% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 5.9% | +13.8% |
| 2021 | 7.8% | +33.4% |
| 2022 | 4.7% | -40.2% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | +12.5% |
| 2024 | 8.4% | +59.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 8 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 1.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.4% | 4.7% | 8.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -2.55 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 225,583 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 61,727 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 748,573 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -1.43 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 444,590 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -4.38 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in South Africa?
- Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in South Africa was 8.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2006.
- How does South Africa rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
- South Africa ranks 59th out of 95 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 309.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release