Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Canada
Canada: Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes was 2.70 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.70 million
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
41st
of 219 countries
All-time high
2.73 million
in 2012
All-time low
2.24 million
in 1987
Years of data
48
1971–2023
Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Canada, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Canada recorded 2.70 million for enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Canada peaked at 2.73 million in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.24 million, in 1987.
Canada ranks 41st of 219 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.53 million | — |
| 1972 | 2.58 million | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 2.60 million | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 2.58 million | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 2.60 million | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 2.59 million | -0.3% |
| 1977 | 2.59 million | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 2.54 million | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 2.47 million | -2.8% |
| 1980 | 2.39 million | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 2.32 million | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 2.34 million | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 2.32 million | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 2.32 million | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 2.29 million | -1.5% |
| 1986 | 2.25 million | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 2.24 million | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 2.24 million | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 2.25 million | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 2.25 million | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 2.29 million | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 2.34 million | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 2.40 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.46 million | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 2.47 million | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 2.51 million | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 2.56 million | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 2.51 million | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 2.52 million | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 2.60 million | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 2.63 million | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 2.66 million | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 2.67 million | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 2.66 million | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 2.61 million | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 2.58 million | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.73 million | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 2.70 million | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 2.66 million | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 2.64 million | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 2.64 million | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 2.65 million | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 2.65 million | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 2.66 million | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 2.68 million | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 2.68 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 2.72 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 2.70 million | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.56 million | 2.47 million | 2.60 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 2.30 million | 2.24 million | 2.39 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.42 million | 2.25 million | 2.56 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.62 million | 2.52 million | 2.67 million | 6 |
| 2010s | 2.65 million | 2.58 million | 2.73 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.70 million | 2.68 million | 2.72 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- 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)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,022 tertiary education (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 141,045 (2000)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Canada?
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Canada was 2.70 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in secondary education, both sexes recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 2.73 million in 2012.
- What is the lowest enrolment in secondary education, both sexes recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.24 million in 1987.
- How does Canada rank for enrolment in secondary education, both sexes?
- Canada ranks 41st out of 219 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release