Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand
SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 54.01 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand stood at 54.01 million.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand peaked at 56.77 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 25.07 million, in 1971.
SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand ranks 42nd of 221 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 39.68 million | — |
| 1971 | 25.07 million | -36.8% |
| 1972 | 26.04 million | +3.9% |
| 1973 | 27.01 million | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 27.63 million | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 28.49 million | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 29.82 million | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 30.37 million | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 30.76 million | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 30.80 million | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 31.24 million | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 31.40 million | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 32.63 million | +3.9% |
| 1983 | 32.14 million | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 33.11 million | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 32.28 million | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 32.63 million | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 32.83 million | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 33.37 million | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 34.49 million | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 35.23 million | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 35.32 million | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 36.52 million | +3.4% |
| 1993 | 37.15 million | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 37.72 million | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 38.11 million | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 38.83 million | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 38.56 million | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 40.14 million | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 41.82 million | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 42.40 million | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 45.43 million | +7.1% |
| 2002 | 48.54 million | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 50.63 million | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 51.73 million | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 52.72 million | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 53.95 million | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 54.80 million | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 55.58 million | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 56.60 million | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 56.77 million | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 56.71 million | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 55.88 million | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 54.97 million | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 54.04 million | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 52.92 million | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 52.23 million | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 51.68 million | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 51.48 million | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 51.87 million | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 52.29 million | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 52.75 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 53.23 million | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 53.88 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 54.01 million | +0.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -36.8% | 39.68 million | 25.07 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.57 million | 25.07 million | 39.68 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.61 million | 31.24 million | 34.49 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.94 million | 35.23 million | 41.82 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.24 million | 42.40 million | 56.60 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.86 million | 51.48 million | 56.77 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.23 million | 52.29 million | 54.01 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand
More education data for SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 0.2455 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 44.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.0633 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 47.13 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.0567 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32.17 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -1.04 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 54.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 24.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -0.1179 % change on previous year (2024)
All data for SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand →
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand was 54.01 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 56.77 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.07 million in 1971.
- How does SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand ranks 42nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release