Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled both in Canada
Canada: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled both was 1.84 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada, 1976–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
Canada recorded 1.84 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in 2023.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada peaked at 1.94 million in 1992 and was at its lowest, 1.08 million, in 1976.
That places Canada 28th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled both in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 1.08 million | — |
| 1986 | 1.64 million | +51.8% |
| 1987 | 1.67 million | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 1.70 million | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 1.73 million | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 1.84 million | +6.6% |
| 1991 | 1.92 million | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 1.94 million | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 1.75 million | -10.1% |
| 1994 | 1.78 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 1.78 million | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 1.76 million | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 1.48 million | -16.2% |
| 1998 | 1.19 million | -19.3% |
| 1999 | 1.22 million | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 1.21 million | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 1.23 million | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 1.25 million | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 1.42 million | +13.4% |
| 2008 | 1.45 million | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 1.45 million | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 1.43 million | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 1.48 million | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1.51 million | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 1.56 million | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 1.58 million | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 1.56 million | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.59 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.63 million | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 1.62 million | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 1.72 million | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 1.77 million | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 1.80 million | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 1.81 million | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 1.84 million | +1.3% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 1.84 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 158,952, 11.6× the median. (76 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled both in Canada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +51.8% | 1.08 million | 1.64 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.08 million | 1.08 million | 1.08 million | 1 |
| 1980s | 1.68 million | 1.64 million | 1.73 million | 4 |
| 1990s | 1.67 million | 1.19 million | 1.94 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.34 million | 1.21 million | 1.45 million | 6 |
| 2010s | 1.57 million | 1.43 million | 1.72 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.81 million | 1.77 million | 1.84 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0607 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada was 1.84 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 1.94 million in 1992.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.08 million in 1976.
- How does Canada rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)?
- Canada ranks 28th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.