Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in China
China: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 60.67 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in China, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
China recorded 60.67 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 44.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in China peaked at 60.67 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 108,617, in 1970.
China ranks 1st of 200 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 108,617 | — |
| 1973 | 193,719 | +78.4% |
| 1974 | 313,645 | +61.9% |
| 1975 | 429,981 | +37.1% |
| 1976 | 500,993 | +16.5% |
| 1977 | 564,715 | +12.7% |
| 1978 | 625,319 | +10.7% |
| 1979 | 856,322 | +36.9% |
| 1980 | 1.02 million | +19.1% |
| 1981 | 1.66 million | +63.0% |
| 1984 | 2.17 million | +30.5% |
| 1985 | 2.75 million | +26.6% |
| 1986 | 3.52 million | +28.0% |
| 1987 | 3.84 million | +9.3% |
| 1988 | 3.94 million | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 3.91 million | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 3.92 million | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 3.82 million | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 3.66 million | -4.2% |
| 1993 | 3.70 million | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 4.51 million | +21.8% |
| 1995 | 5.28 million | +17.2% |
| 1996 | 5.62 million | +6.5% |
| 1997 | 5.83 million | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 6.08 million | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 6.37 million | +4.8% |
| 2000 | 7.36 million | +15.7% |
| 2001 | 9.40 million | +27.6% |
| 2002 | 12.14 million | +29.2% |
| 2003 | 15.19 million | +25.1% |
| 2004 | 18.09 million | +19.1% |
| 2005 | 20.60 million | +13.9% |
| 2006 | 23.36 million | +13.4% |
| 2007 | 25.35 million | +8.5% |
| 2008 | 26.69 million | +5.3% |
| 2009 | 29.30 million | +9.8% |
| 2010 | 31.05 million | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 31.31 million | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 32.59 million | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 34.09 million | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 41.92 million | +23.0% |
| 2015 | 43.37 million | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 43.89 million | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 44.13 million | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 44.94 million | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 46.99 million | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 50.24 million | +6.9% |
| 2021 | 53.82 million | +7.1% |
| 2022 | 57.14 million | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 59.42 million | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 60.67 million | +2.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 60.67 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 237,490, 255.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 60.67 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 103,347, 587.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +78.4% | 108,617 | 193,719 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 449,164 | 108,617 | 856,322 | 8 |
| 1980s | 2.85 million | 1.02 million | 3.94 million | 8 |
| 1990s | 4.88 million | 3.66 million | 6.37 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.75 million | 7.36 million | 29.30 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.43 million | 31.05 million | 46.99 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.26 million | 50.24 million | 60.67 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in China?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in China was 60.67 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 60.67 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 108,617 in 1970.
- How does China rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- China ranks 1st out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release