Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members
OECD members: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 64.11 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
64.11 million number
Change on year
down 1.7%
Rank
11th
of 43 groups
All-time high
65.19 million number
in 2018
All-time low
16.70 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members stood at 64.11 million number.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members peaked at 65.19 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 16.70 million number, in 1970.
That places OECD members 11th out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 16.70 million number | — |
| 1971 | 18.05 million number | +8.1% |
| 1972 | 19.04 million number | +5.5% |
| 1973 | 19.95 million number | +4.8% |
| 1974 | 20.81 million number | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 22.19 million number | +6.7% |
| 1976 | 23.96 million number | +8.0% |
| 1977 | 24.32 million number | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 25.23 million number | +3.7% |
| 1979 | 25.48 million number | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 26.22 million number | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 27.14 million number | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 27.96 million number | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 28.61 million number | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 29.26 million number | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 29.60 million number | +1.2% |
| 1986 | 30.01 million number | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 30.63 million number | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 31.48 million number | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 32.38 million number | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 33.65 million number | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 34.74 million number | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 36.29 million number | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 36.37 million number | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 39.71 million number | +9.2% |
| 1995 | 40.49 million number | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 39.26 million number | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 40.10 million number | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 41.72 million number | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 43.19 million number | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 43.51 million number | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 44.92 million number | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 48.32 million number | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 50.17 million number | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 51.26 million number | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 52.11 million number | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 53.44 million number | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 54.21 million number | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 55.12 million number | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 56.88 million number | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 59.63 million number | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 61.34 million number | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 62.24 million number | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 61.98 million number | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 62.49 million number | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 62.94 million number | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 64.23 million number | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 64.73 million number | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 65.19 million number | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 64.11 million number | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.57 million number | 16.70 million number | 25.48 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.33 million number | 26.22 million number | 32.38 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.55 million number | 33.65 million number | 43.19 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.99 million number | 43.51 million number | 56.88 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.89 million number | 59.63 million number | 65.19 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
- 8 Mexico 4.56 million number compare
- 9 Japan 3.86 million number compare
- 10 Bangladesh 3.70 million number compare
- 11 Iran, Islamic Republic of 3.62 million number compare
- 12 Philippines 3.59 million number compare
- 13 Argentina 3.14 million number compare
- 14 Germany 3.13 million number compare
More education data for OECD members
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 16.4% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.28 million (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 100.7% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 6.28 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0045 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 100.4% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 100.9% (2024)
- Labor force, total 709.91 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in OECD members was 64.11 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 65.19 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.70 million number in 1970.
- How does OECD members rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- OECD members ranks 11th out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this OECD members 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.