Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada

Canada: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 1.84 million in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
1.84 million
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
28th
of 200 countries
All-time high
1.94 million
in 1992
All-time low
1.08 million
in 1976
Years of data
35
1976–2023

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada, 1976–2023

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M1976199920231976: 1.1M1986: 1.6M1987: 1.7M1988: 1.7M1989: 1.7M1990: 1.8M1991: 1.9M1992: 1.9M1993: 1.7M1994: 1.8M1995: 1.8M1996: 1.8M1997: 1.5M1998: 1.2M1999: 1.2M2000: 1.2M2001: 1.2M2002: 1.3M2007: 1.4M2008: 1.4M2009: 1.4M2010: 1.4M2011: 1.5M2012: 1.5M2013: 1.6M2014: 1.6M2015: 1.6M2016: 1.6M2017: 1.6M2018: 1.6M2019: 1.7M2020: 1.8M2021: 1.8M2022: 1.8M2023: 1.8M

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, both sexes (number) in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled in Canada, 1976 to 2023.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 25 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2.12 million compare
  2. 26 Saudi Arabia 2.01 million compare
  3. 27 Peru 1.90 million compare
  4. 29 Australia 1.83 million compare
  5. 30 Algeria 1.66 million compare
  6. 31 Ukraine 1.58 million compare

See the full ranking of 421 places →

More education data for Canada

All data for Canada →

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.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-gaps-filled/canada/

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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

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

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
421 places, 19,011 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

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.