Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number) in Iceland
Iceland: Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number) was 37,056 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
37,056
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
172nd
of 219 countries
All-time high
38,238
in 2013
All-time low
23,144
in 1971
Years of data
50
1971–2023
Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Iceland, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Iceland is 37,056, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Iceland peaked at 38,238 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 23,144, in 1971.
That places Iceland 172nd out of 219 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number) in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 23,144 | — |
| 1972 | 24,105 | +4.2% |
| 1975 | 25,028 | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 25,853 | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 26,506 | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 26,251 | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 26,699 | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 25,457 | -4.7% |
| 1981 | 26,643 | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 26,769 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 26,627 | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 26,803 | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 27,237 | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 27,559 | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 28,218 | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 28,037 | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 28,586 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 29,059 | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 29,465 | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 29,985 | +1.8% |
| 1993 | 30,233 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 30,163 | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 30,253 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 30,463 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 33,225 | +9.1% |
| 1999 | 32,480 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 32,133 | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 32,186 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 33,486 | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 34,587 | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 32,700 | -5.5% |
| 2005 | 33,323 | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 33,900 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 34,434 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 35,075 | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 35,075 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 35,623 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 35,217 | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 36,127 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 38,238 | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 37,530 | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 36,818 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 35,651 | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 35,161 | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 35,171 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 34,585 | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 34,598 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 36,432 | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 36,685 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 37,056 | +1.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 37,056 is below the median for high income countries, which is 307,015, 12% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 37,056 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 543,350, 7% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 25,369 | 23,144 | 26,699 | 7 |
| 1980s | 27,194 | 25,457 | 28,586 | 10 |
| 1990s | 30,592 | 29,059 | 33,225 | 9 |
| 2000s | 33,690 | 32,133 | 35,075 | 10 |
| 2010s | 36,012 | 34,585 | 38,238 | 10 |
| 2020s | 36,193 | 34,598 | 37,056 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More education data for Iceland
- 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)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0838 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Iceland?
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes in Iceland was 37,056 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in secondary education, both sexes recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 38,238 in 2013.
- What is the lowest enrolment in secondary education, both sexes recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,144 in 1971.
- How does Iceland rank for enrolment in secondary education, both sexes?
- Iceland ranks 172nd out of 219 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. 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 Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release