Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe
SDG: Europe: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 32.93 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
32.93 million
Change on year
up 2.8%
Rank
54th
of 221 groups
All-time high
33.96 million
in 2009
All-time low
15.12 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe stood at 32.93 million.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe peaked at 33.96 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 15.12 million, in 1971.
That places SDG: Europe 54th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 25.05 million | — |
| 1971 | 15.12 million | -39.6% |
| 1972 | 15.61 million | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 16.21 million | +3.8% |
| 1974 | 16.50 million | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 16.71 million | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 17.20 million | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 17.78 million | +3.4% |
| 1978 | 17.88 million | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 17.93 million | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 18.06 million | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 17.68 million | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 18.63 million | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 18.07 million | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 18.98 million | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 18.36 million | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 18.25 million | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 18.62 million | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 18.86 million | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 19.15 million | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 19.25 million | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 19.03 million | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 19.51 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 19.83 million | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 20.53 million | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 20.92 million | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 21.64 million | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 22.89 million | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 23.91 million | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 25.08 million | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 26.24 million | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 27.86 million | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 29.53 million | +6.0% |
| 2003 | 30.97 million | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 31.60 million | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 32.54 million | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 33.13 million | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 33.57 million | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 33.85 million | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 33.96 million | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 33.84 million | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 33.38 million | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 32.33 million | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 31.31 million | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 30.62 million | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 29.65 million | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 29.16 million | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 28.99 million | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 28.97 million | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 29.28 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 29.75 million | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 30.80 million | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 31.65 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 32.03 million | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 32.93 million | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.60 million | 15.12 million | 25.05 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.46 million | 17.68 million | 19.15 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.26 million | 19.03 million | 25.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.32 million | 26.24 million | 33.96 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.75 million | 28.97 million | 33.84 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.43 million | 29.75 million | 32.93 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Europe
More education data for SDG: Europe
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 342,650 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 15.29 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 2.39 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 17.65 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.82 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.44 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.0749 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate -0.065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 79.1% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Europe was 32.93 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?
- The highest recorded value was 33.96 million in 2009.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.12 million in 1971.
- How does SDG: Europe rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- SDG: Europe ranks 54th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Europe 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