Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in WB: European Union
WB: European Union: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 18.83 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.83 million
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
93rd
of 221 groups
All-time high
18.83 million
in 2023
All-time low
6.77 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in WB: European Union, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
WB: European Union recorded 18.83 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in WB: European Union peaked at 18.83 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.77 million, in 1971.
WB: European Union ranks 93rd of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in WB: European Union, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 14.87 million | — |
| 1971 | 6.77 million | -54.5% |
| 1972 | 6.98 million | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 7.50 million | +7.4% |
| 1974 | 7.71 million | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 7.78 million | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 8.39 million | +7.8% |
| 1977 | 8.60 million | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 8.65 million | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 8.61 million | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 8.72 million | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 8.53 million | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 9.40 million | +10.2% |
| 1983 | 8.76 million | -6.7% |
| 1984 | 9.69 million | +10.6% |
| 1985 | 9.08 million | -6.3% |
| 1986 | 9.12 million | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 9.31 million | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 9.84 million | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 10.18 million | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 10.18 million | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 10.00 million | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 10.45 million | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 10.94 million | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 11.70 million | +7.0% |
| 1995 | 12.04 million | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 12.52 million | +4.0% |
| 1997 | 13.16 million | +5.1% |
| 1998 | 13.87 million | +5.4% |
| 1999 | 14.34 million | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 14.87 million | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 15.44 million | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 15.91 million | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 16.43 million | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 16.85 million | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 17.15 million | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 17.32 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 17.39 million | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 17.59 million | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 17.76 million | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 17.99 million | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 17.92 million | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 17.66 million | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 17.36 million | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 17.33 million | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 17.21 million | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 17.20 million | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 17.34 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 17.50 million | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 17.77 million | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 18.01 million | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 18.53 million | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 18.79 million | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 18.83 million | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 18.83 million | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.59 million | 6.77 million | 14.87 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.26 million | 8.53 million | 10.18 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.92 million | 10.00 million | 14.34 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.67 million | 14.87 million | 17.76 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.53 million | 17.20 million | 17.99 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.60 million | 18.01 million | 18.83 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near WB: European Union
- 90 Burkina Faso 225,902 compare
- 91 Paraguay 225,211 compare
- 92 Palestine, State of 223,977 compare
- 93 Costa Rica 221,811 compare
- 94 Mozambique 213,930 compare
- 95 Uruguay 202,346 compare
- 96 El Salvador 195,949 compare
More education data for WB: European Union
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 233,619 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 7.01 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6.61 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 23.26 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 11.93 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in WB: European Union?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in WB: European Union was 18.83 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in WB: European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 18.83 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in WB: European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.77 million in 1971.
- How does WB: European Union rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- WB: European Union ranks 93rd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in WB: European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this WB: European Union 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
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release