Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Netherlands
Netherlands: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 889,506 number in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
889,506 number
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
39th
of 193 countries
All-time high
889,506 number
in 2018
All-time low
231,167 number
in 1971
Years of data
44
1971–2018
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Netherlands, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Netherlands is 889,506 number, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 47.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Netherlands peaked at 889,506 number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 231,167 number, in 1971.
That places Netherlands 39th out of 193 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 231,167 number | — |
| 1972 | 247,964 number | +7.3% |
| 1975 | 264,297 number | +6.6% |
| 1976 | 288,026 number | +9.0% |
| 1977 | 305,150 number | +5.9% |
| 1978 | 320,501 number | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 328,968 number | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 350,778 number | +6.6% |
| 1981 | 360,033 number | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 371,515 number | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 379,047 number | +2.0% |
| 1984 | 384,407 number | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 390,244 number | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 404,866 number | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 399,776 number | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 413,488 number | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 415,847 number | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 437,488 number | +5.2% |
| 1991 | 478,869 number | +9.5% |
| 1992 | 493,563 number | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 506,580 number | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 532,405 number | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 502,928 number | -5.5% |
| 1996 | 491,748 number | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 468,970 number | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 461,374 number | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 469,885 number | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 487,649 number | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 504,042 number | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 516,769 number | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 526,767 number | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 543,396 number | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 564,983 number | +4.0% |
| 2006 | 579,622 number | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 590,121 number | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 602,286 number | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 618,502 number | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 650,905 number | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 780,014 number | +19.8% |
| 2012 | 793,678 number | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 842,601 number | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 836,946 number | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 875,455 number | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 889,506 number | +1.6% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 889,506 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 164,826 number, 5.4× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 889,506 number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 257,598 number, 3.5× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 283,725 number | 231,167 number | 328,968 number | 7 |
| 1980s | 387,000 number | 350,778 number | 415,847 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 484,381 number | 437,488 number | 532,405 number | 10 |
| 2000s | 553,414 number | 487,649 number | 618,502 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 809,872 number | 650,905 number | 889,506 number | 7 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More education data for Netherlands
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.64 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.48 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 118,472 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 23,856 (1985)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 247,743 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 240,049 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.14 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.0937 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Netherlands?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Netherlands was 889,506 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 889,506 number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 231,167 number in 1971.
- How does Netherlands rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Netherlands ranks 39th out of 193 countries with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.