Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Small Island Developing States

SDG: Small Island Developing States: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 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 (number) in SDG: Small Island Developing States, 1970–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M197019972024

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Small Island Developing States is 1.58 million, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of 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 (number) 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 (number) in SDG: Small Island Developing States, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled in SDG: Small Island Developing States, 1970 to 2024.
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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 196 French Polynesia 301 compare
  2. 197 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 179 compare
  3. 198 Cook Islands 113 compare
  4. 199 Anguilla 54 compare
  5. 200 Saint Helena 37 compare

See the full ranking of 421 places →

More education data for SDG: Small Island Developing States

All data for SDG: Small Island Developing States →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Small Island Developing States was 1.58 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 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 (number) 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 (number)?
SDG: Small Island Developing States ranks 199th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 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 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: Small Island Developing States. 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/sdg-small-island-developing-states/

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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.

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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.