Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States
SDG: Small Island Developing States: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 1.58 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.58 million
Change on year
down 3.4%
Rank
199th
of 221 groups
All-time high
2.10 million
in 2009
All-time low
167,043
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States is 1.58 million, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States peaked at 2.10 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 167,043, in 1971.
That places SDG: Small Island Developing States 199th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom 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: Small Island Developing States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 598,766 | — |
| 1971 | 167,043 | -72.1% |
| 1972 | 194,397 | +16.4% |
| 1973 | 219,586 | +13.0% |
| 1974 | 480,969 | +119.0% |
| 1975 | 270,331 | -43.8% |
| 1976 | 534,065 | +97.6% |
| 1977 | 565,538 | +5.9% |
| 1978 | 602,345 | +6.5% |
| 1979 | 616,001 | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 637,507 | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 649,848 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 676,324 | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 791,158 | +17.0% |
| 1984 | 814,945 | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 839,313 | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 713,538 | -15.0% |
| 1987 | 895,150 | +25.5% |
| 1988 | 906,785 | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 903,096 | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 908,459 | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 923,328 | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 929,408 | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 902,451 | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 887,995 | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 865,240 | -2.6% |
| 1996 | 862,494 | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 836,475 | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 944,305 | +12.9% |
| 1999 | 990,644 | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 1.01 million | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 1.05 million | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 1.07 million | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 1.12 million | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 1.31 million | +17.2% |
| 2005 | 1.42 million | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 1.66 million | +17.0% |
| 2007 | 1.87 million | +12.6% |
| 2008 | 2.06 million | +10.4% |
| 2009 | 2.10 million | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 2.01 million | -4.4% |
| 2011 | 1.92 million | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 1.80 million | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 1.64 million | -9.2% |
| 2014 | 1.58 million | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 1.56 million | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 1.57 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 1.67 million | +6.4% |
| 2018 | 1.66 million | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.67 million | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 1.67 million | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 1.68 million | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 1.64 million | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 1.63 million | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 1.58 million | -3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 424,904 | 167,043 | 616,001 | 10 |
| 1980s | 782,766 | 637,507 | 906,785 | 10 |
| 1990s | 905,080 | 836,475 | 990,644 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.47 million | 1.01 million | 2.10 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.71 million | 1.56 million | 2.01 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.64 million | 1.58 million | 1.68 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Small Island Developing States
- 196 French Polynesia 301 compare
- 197 Sint Maarten 179 compare
- 198 Cook Islands 113 compare
- 199 Anguilla 54 compare
- 200 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha 37 compare
More education data for SDG: Small Island Developing States
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes 4.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female 2.27 million (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in vocational 9.5% (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male 2.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes 2.24 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes 430,327 (2024)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 90.5% (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, female 1.62 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes 3.31 million (2024)
- School age population, upper secondary education, male 1.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States was 1.58 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- The highest recorded value was 2.10 million in 2009.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- The lowest recorded value was 167,043 in 1971.
- How does SDG: Small Island Developing States rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- SDG: Small Island Developing States ranks 199th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Small Island Developing States 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