Enrolment in secondary education, female in China

China: Enrolment in secondary education, female was 45.69 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
45.69 million
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
2nd
of 218 countries
All-time high
48.57 million
in 2007
All-time low
17.78 million
in 1976
Years of data
43
1976–2024

Enrolment in secondary education, female in China, 1976–2024

010.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M1976200020241976: 17.8M1977: 23.8M1978: 28.5M1979: 27.4M1980: 24.5M1981: 22.3M1982: 19.5M1983: 18.4M1984: 18.5M1985: 19.7M1986: 20.6M1987: 22.1M1988: 22.6M1989: 22.1M1990: 21.2M1991: 21.7M1992: 22.6M1993: 23.5M1994: 24.4M1995: 26.3M1996: 28.8M1997: 31.0M2001: 40.5M2003: 44.8M2006: 48.2M2007: 48.6M2008: 48.5M2009: 48.2M2010: 46.7M2011: 45.9M2012: 44.8M2013: 44.4M2014: 41.8M2015: 40.5M2016: 39.4M2017: 39.1M2018: 39.5M2019: 40.3M2020: 41.3M2021: 42.4M2022: 43.7M2023: 44.9M2024: 45.7M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2024, enrolment in secondary education, female in China stood at 45.69 million.

That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in secondary education, female in China peaked at 48.57 million in 2007 and was at its lowest, 17.78 million, in 1976.

That places China 2nd out of 218 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.

Enrolment in secondary education, female in China, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in secondary education, female (number) in China, 1976 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1976 17.78 million
1977 23.82 million +33.9%
1978 28.50 million +19.6%
1979 27.45 million -3.7%
1980 24.48 million -10.8%
1981 22.34 million -8.7%
1982 19.50 million -12.7%
1983 18.41 million -5.6%
1984 18.48 million +0.4%
1985 19.68 million +6.5%
1986 20.58 million +4.6%
1987 22.10 million +7.4%
1988 22.56 million +2.1%
1989 22.11 million -2.0%
1990 21.23 million -4.0%
1991 21.71 million +2.2%
1992 22.64 million +4.3%
1993 23.48 million +3.7%
1994 24.40 million +3.9%
1995 26.28 million +7.7%
1996 28.83 million +9.7%
1997 30.96 million +7.4%
2001 40.45 million +30.7%
2003 44.80 million +10.7%
2006 48.24 million +7.7%
2007 48.57 million +0.7%
2008 48.52 million -0.1%
2009 48.16 million -0.7%
2010 46.73 million -3.0%
2011 45.91 million -1.7%
2012 44.83 million -2.4%
2013 44.36 million -1.1%
2014 41.78 million -5.8%
2015 40.55 million -2.9%
2016 39.41 million -2.8%
2017 39.12 million -0.7%
2018 39.53 million +1.0%
2019 40.31 million +2.0%
2020 41.26 million +2.4%
2021 42.36 million +2.7%
2022 43.70 million +3.2%
2023 44.89 million +2.7%
2024 45.69 million +1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 24.39 million 17.78 million 28.50 million 4
1980s 21.02 million 18.41 million 24.48 million 10
1990s 24.94 million 21.23 million 30.96 million 8
2000s 46.46 million 40.45 million 48.57 million 6
2010s 42.25 million 39.12 million 46.73 million 10
2020s 43.58 million 41.26 million 45.69 million 5

Countries ranked near China

  1. 1 India 64.76 million compare
  2. 3 Indonesia 13.32 million compare
  3. 4 United States 12.29 million compare
  4. 5 Brazil 10.69 million compare

See the full ranking of 439 places →

More education data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in secondary education, female in China?
Enrolment in secondary education, female in China was 45.69 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 48.57 million in 2007.
What is the lowest enrolment in secondary education, female recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 17.78 million in 1976.
How does China rank for enrolment in secondary education, female?
China ranks 2nd out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in secondary education, female rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in secondary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in secondary education, female in China. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-secondary-education-female-number-2/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in secondary education, female (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
439 places, 18,761 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release