Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy

Italy: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or was 55.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
55.1%
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
71st
of 141 countries
All-time high
55.1%
in 2023
All-time low
12.7%
in 1981
Years of data
30
1981–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy, 1981–2023

1020304050601981200220231981: 12.7 %1992: 24.4 %1993: 24.3 %1994: 25.9 %1995: 27.1 %1996: 28.2 %1997: 29.7 %2001: 33.8 %2002: 34.5 %2003: 36.7 %2004: 38 %2005: 38.7 %2006: 39.7 %2007: 41.7 %2008: 42.7 %2009: 43.3 %2010: 44.1 %2011: 45 %2012: 46.3 %2013: 47 %2014: 47.6 %2015: 48.2 %2016: 49.5 %2017: 50.4 %2018: 51.4 %2019: 52.3 %2020: 51.8 %2021: 52.3 %2022: 52.8 %2023: 55.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy stood at 55.1%. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.

That represents a change of up 4.4% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy peaked at 55.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 1981.

Italy ranks 71st of 141 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.

Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%) in Italy, 1981 to 2023.
Year % Change
1981 12.7%
1992 24.4% +92.2%
1993 24.3% -0.6%
1994 25.9% +6.6%
1995 27.1% +4.8%
1996 28.2% +3.9%
1997 29.7% +5.3%
2001 33.8% +14.0%
2002 34.5% +2.0%
2003 36.7% +6.4%
2004 38.0% +3.5%
2005 38.7% +1.8%
2006 39.7% +2.5%
2007 41.7% +5.1%
2008 42.7% +2.6%
2009 43.3% +1.2%
2010 44.1% +2.0%
2011 45.0% +2.1%
2012 46.3% +2.8%
2013 47.0% +1.5%
2014 47.6% +1.2%
2015 48.2% +1.4%
2016 49.5% +2.6%
2017 50.4% +1.8%
2018 51.4% +2.0%
2019 52.3% +1.8%
2020 51.8% -1.0%
2021 52.3% +1.0%
2022 52.8% +1.0%
2023 55.1% +4.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 12.7% 12.7% 12.7% 1
1990s 26.6% 24.3% 29.7% 6
2000s 38.8% 33.8% 43.3% 9
2010s 48.2% 44.1% 52.3% 10
2020s 53.0% 51.8% 55.1% 4

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 68 Jamaica 59.8% compare
  2. 69 Colombia 59.0% compare
  3. 70 Spain 55.8% compare
  4. 72 Malta 54.8% compare
  5. 73 Saint Lucia 54.7% compare
  6. 74 Peru 53.6% compare

See the full ranking of 141 places →

More education data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy?
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy was 55.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 55.1% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 1981.
How does Italy rank for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
Italy ranks 71st out of 141 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Italy data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-upper-secondary-education-or-higher-population-25-3/italy/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
141 places, 2,292 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release