Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Kenya
Kenya: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 562,521 number in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Kenya, 1970–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Kenya recorded 562,521 number for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2017. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 4.2% on the previous year and up 395.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Kenya peaked at 562,521 number in 2017 and was at its lowest, 7,795 number, in 1970.
That places Kenya 46th out of 193 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Kenya, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 7,795 number | — |
| 1971 | 8,591 number | +10.2% |
| 1972 | 8,379 number | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 9,896 number | +18.1% |
| 1974 | 11,351 number | +14.7% |
| 1976 | 9,407 number | -17.1% |
| 1977 | 9,146 number | -2.8% |
| 1978 | 9,904 number | +8.3% |
| 1979 | 11,746 number | +18.6% |
| 1980 | 12,986 number | +10.6% |
| 1981 | 13,398 number | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 18,444 number | +37.7% |
| 1984 | 20,072 number | +8.8% |
| 1985 | 21,756 number | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 26,839 number | +23.4% |
| 1989 | 31,287 number | +16.6% |
| 2000 | 89,016 number | +184.5% |
| 2001 | 94,629 number | +6.3% |
| 2002 | 98,115 number | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 108,407 number | +10.5% |
| 2005 | 113,532 number | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 167,983 number | +48.0% |
| 2015 | 421,134 number | +150.7% |
| 2016 | 539,749 number | +28.2% |
| 2017 | 562,521 number | +4.2% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 562,521 number is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 217,880 number, 2.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 562,521 number is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 72,128 number, 7.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Kenya 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +184.5% | 31,287 number | 89,016 number |
| 2015 | +150.7% | 167,983 number | 421,134 number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9,579 number | 7,795 number | 11,746 number | 9 |
| 1980s | 20,683 number | 12,986 number | 31,287 number | 7 |
| 2000s | 111,947 number | 89,016 number | 167,983 number | 6 |
| 2010s | 507,801 number | 421,134 number | 562,521 number | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More education data for Kenya
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.57 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 94.27 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 168,396 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 235,728 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.74 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 8.04 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.7181 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Kenya?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Kenya was 562,521 number in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 562,521 number in 2017.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,795 number in 1970.
- How does Kenya rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Kenya ranks 46th out of 193 countries with data for 2017.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 395.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya 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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CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.