Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 430,980 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Afghanistan, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Afghanistan is 430,980, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of up 16.3% on the previous year and up 352.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Afghanistan peaked at 430,980 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7,732, in 1970.
That places Afghanistan 58th out of 200 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7,732 | — |
| 1971 | 9,409 | +21.7% |
| 1972 | 9,817 | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 11,487 | +17.0% |
| 1974 | 10,956 | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 12,256 | +11.9% |
| 1976 | 14,214 | +16.0% |
| 1977 | 16,147 | +13.6% |
| 1978 | 21,118 | +30.8% |
| 1979 | 22,974 | +8.8% |
| 1982 | 19,652 | -14.5% |
| 1986 | 22,306 | +13.5% |
| 1987 | 17,509 | -21.5% |
| 1990 | 24,333 | +39.0% |
| 2003 | 26,211 | +7.7% |
| 2004 | 27,648 | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 95,185 | +244.3% |
| 2011 | 97,504 | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 262,874 | +169.6% |
| 2018 | 370,610 | +41.0% |
| 2020 | 430,980 | +16.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 430,980 is above the median for low income countries, which is 112,732, 3.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 430,980 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 375,028, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +244.3% | 27,648 | 95,185 |
| 2014 | +169.6% | 97,504 | 262,874 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13,611 | 7,732 | 22,974 | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,822 | 17,509 | 22,306 | 3 |
| 1990s | 24,333 | 24,333 | 24,333 | 1 |
| 2000s | 49,681 | 26,211 | 95,185 | 3 |
| 2010s | 243,663 | 97,504 | 370,610 | 3 |
| 2020s | 430,980 | 430,980 | 430,980 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 88,020 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Afghanistan?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Afghanistan was 430,980 in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 430,980 in 2020.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,732 in 1970.
- How does Afghanistan rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Afghanistan ranks 58th out of 200 countries with data for 2020.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 352.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release