Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Mexico
Mexico: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 4.56 million number in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Mexico, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2018, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Mexico stood at 4.56 million number. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 73.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Mexico peaked at 4.56 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 247,637 number, in 1971.
That places Mexico 8th out of 193 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Mexico, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 247,637 number | — |
| 1972 | 281,397 number | +13.6% |
| 1974 | 408,704 number | +45.2% |
| 1975 | 498,361 number | +21.9% |
| 1976 | 562,056 number | +12.8% |
| 1977 | 569,266 number | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 654,959 number | +15.1% |
| 1979 | 744,412 number | +13.7% |
| 1980 | 853,384 number | +14.6% |
| 1981 | 929,865 number | +9.0% |
| 1982 | 998,397 number | +7.4% |
| 1983 | 1.04 million number | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 1.11 million number | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 1.21 million number | +9.3% |
| 1987 | 1.22 million number | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 1.31 million number | +7.3% |
| 1989 | 1.31 million number | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 1.31 million number | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 1.31 million number | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 1.30 million number | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 1.36 million number | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 1.42 million number | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 1.53 million number | +7.9% |
| 1997 | 1.61 million number | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 1.73 million number | +7.1% |
| 1999 | 1.84 million number | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 1.96 million number | +6.8% |
| 2001 | 2.05 million number | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 2.15 million number | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 2.24 million number | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 2.32 million number | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 2.38 million number | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 2.45 million number | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 2.53 million number | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 2.62 million number | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 2.71 million number | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 2.85 million number | +5.3% |
| 2011 | 2.98 million number | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 3.16 million number | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 3.30 million number | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 3.42 million number | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 3.52 million number | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.24 million number | +20.7% |
| 2017 | 4.43 million number | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 4.56 million number | +3.0% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 4.56 million number is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 225,211 number, 20.3× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 4.56 million number is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 130,732 number, 34.9× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Mexico 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +45.2% | 281,397 number | 408,704 number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 495,849 number | 247,637 number | 744,412 number | 8 |
| 1980s | 1.11 million number | 853,384 number | 1.31 million number | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.49 million number | 1.30 million number | 1.84 million number | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.34 million number | 1.96 million number | 2.71 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.61 million number | 2.85 million number | 4.56 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More education data for Mexico
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 92.12 (1980)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.64 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 868,550 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 96,349 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.11 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 13.99 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 13.19 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Mexico?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Mexico was 4.56 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 4.56 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 247,637 number in 1971.
- How does Mexico rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Mexico ranks 8th out of 193 countries with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mexico 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 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.