Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand

SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 54.01 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
54.01 million
Change on year
up 0.2%
Rank
42nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
56.77 million
in 2010
All-time low
25.07 million
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand, 1970–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M197019972024

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand is 54.01 million, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand peaked at 56.77 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 25.07 million, in 1971.

That places SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand 42nd 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 (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 39.68 million
1971 25.07 million -36.8%
1972 26.04 million +3.9%
1973 27.01 million +3.7%
1974 27.63 million +2.3%
1975 28.49 million +3.1%
1976 29.82 million +4.7%
1977 30.37 million +1.9%
1978 30.76 million +1.3%
1979 30.80 million +0.1%
1980 31.24 million +1.4%
1981 31.40 million +0.5%
1982 32.63 million +3.9%
1983 32.14 million -1.5%
1984 33.11 million +3.0%
1985 32.28 million -2.5%
1986 32.63 million +1.1%
1987 32.83 million +0.6%
1988 33.37 million +1.6%
1989 34.49 million +3.4%
1990 35.23 million +2.1%
1991 35.32 million +0.3%
1992 36.52 million +3.4%
1993 37.15 million +1.7%
1994 37.72 million +1.5%
1995 38.11 million +1.0%
1996 38.83 million +1.9%
1997 38.56 million -0.7%
1998 40.14 million +4.1%
1999 41.82 million +4.2%
2000 42.40 million +1.4%
2001 45.43 million +7.1%
2002 48.54 million +6.8%
2003 50.63 million +4.3%
2004 51.73 million +2.2%
2005 52.72 million +1.9%
2006 53.95 million +2.3%
2007 54.80 million +1.6%
2008 55.58 million +1.4%
2009 56.60 million +1.8%
2010 56.77 million +0.3%
2011 56.71 million -0.1%
2012 55.88 million -1.5%
2013 54.97 million -1.6%
2014 54.04 million -1.7%
2015 52.92 million -2.1%
2016 52.23 million -1.3%
2017 51.68 million -1.1%
2018 51.48 million -0.4%
2019 51.87 million +0.8%
2020 52.29 million +0.8%
2021 52.75 million +0.9%
2022 53.23 million +0.9%
2023 53.88 million +1.2%
2024 54.01 million +0.2%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand 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.

YearChange FromTo
1971 -36.8% 39.68 million 25.07 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 29.57 million 25.07 million 39.68 million 10
1980s 32.61 million 31.24 million 34.49 million 10
1990s 37.94 million 35.23 million 41.82 million 10
2000s 51.24 million 42.40 million 56.60 million 10
2010s 53.86 million 51.48 million 56.77 million 10
2020s 53.23 million 52.29 million 54.01 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand

  1. 39 Ecuador 1.09 million compare
  2. 40 Netherlands 985,327 compare
  3. 41 Myanmar 932,199 compare
  4. 42 Greece 872,882 compare
  5. 43 Kazakhstan 768,980 compare
  6. 44 Syria 697,415 compare
  7. 45 Ghana 693,463 compare

See the full ranking of 421 places →

More education data for SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand

All data for SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand was 54.01 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 56.77 million in 2010.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) recorded in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 25.07 million in 1971.
How does SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number)?
SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand ranks 42nd out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) rising or falling in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand 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 SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-gaps-filled/sdg-europe-northern-america-australia-and-new-zealand/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-both-sexes-number-gaps-filled/sdg-europe-northern-america-australia-and-new-zealand/">Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Europe, Northern America, Australia and New Zealand</a> — Statizoid

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.