Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in France
France: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 2.62 million number in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
2.62 million number
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
17th
of 193 countries
All-time high
2.62 million number
in 2018
All-time low
801,156 number
in 1971
Years of data
47
1971–2018
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in France, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2018, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in France stood at 2.62 million number. That is the highest value across all 47 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in France peaked at 2.62 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 801,156 number, in 1971.
France ranks 17th of 193 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 47 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in France, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 801,156 number | — |
| 1972 | 841,049 number | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 906,568 number | +7.8% |
| 1974 | 936,052 number | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 989,439 number | +5.7% |
| 1976 | 1.04 million number | +5.0% |
| 1977 | 1.04 million number | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 1.09 million number | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 1.02 million number | -6.1% |
| 1980 | 1.06 million number | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 1.08 million number | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 1.15 million number | +6.8% |
| 1983 | 1.18 million number | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 1.26 million number | +6.5% |
| 1986 | 1.28 million number | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 1.29 million number | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 1.33 million number | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 1.48 million number | +11.2% |
| 1990 | 1.59 million number | +7.5% |
| 1991 | 1.70 million number | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 1.84 million number | +8.3% |
| 1993 | 1.95 million number | +6.1% |
| 1994 | 2.08 million number | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 2.07 million number | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 2.09 million number | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 2.06 million number | -1.4% |
| 1998 | 2.03 million number | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 2.01 million number | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 2.02 million number | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 2.03 million number | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 2.03 million number | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 2.12 million number | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 2.16 million number | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 2.19 million number | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 2.20 million number | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 2.18 million number | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.16 million number | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 2.17 million number | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 2.25 million number | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 2.26 million number | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 2.30 million number | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 2.34 million number | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 2.39 million number | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 2.42 million number | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 2.48 million number | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 2.53 million number | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 2.62 million number | +3.4% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 2.62 million number is above the median for high income countries, which is 164,826 number, 15.9× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- France's 2.62 million number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 257,598 number, 10.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 962,558 number | 801,156 number | 1.09 million number | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.23 million number | 1.06 million number | 1.48 million number | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.94 million number | 1.59 million number | 2.09 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.13 million number | 2.02 million number | 2.20 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.40 million number | 2.25 million number | 2.62 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near France
More education data for France
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.97 (2016)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.8 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 457,956 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 43,533 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.14 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.13 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in France?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in France was 2.62 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 2.62 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 801,156 number in 1971.
- How does France rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- France ranks 17th out of 193 countries with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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.
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About this data
The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.