Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Spain
Spain: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 2.05 million number in 2018. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Spain, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2018, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Spain stood at 2.05 million number. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 15.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Spain peaked at 2.05 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 224,904 number, in 1971.
That places Spain 22nd out of 193 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Spain, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 224,904 number | — |
| 1972 | 250,387 number | +11.3% |
| 1973 | 368,299 number | +47.1% |
| 1974 | 406,398 number | +10.3% |
| 1975 | 453,389 number | +11.6% |
| 1976 | 540,238 number | +19.2% |
| 1977 | 581,064 number | +7.6% |
| 1978 | 662,812 number | +14.1% |
| 1979 | 630,463 number | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 682,568 number | +8.3% |
| 1981 | 697,789 number | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 721,806 number | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 750,201 number | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 810,391 number | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 857,036 number | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 935,126 number | +9.1% |
| 1987 | 976,558 number | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 1.04 million number | +6.1% |
| 1989 | 1.10 million number | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 1.17 million number | +5.9% |
| 1991 | 1.22 million number | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 1.30 million number | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 1.37 million number | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 1.47 million number | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 1.53 million number | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 1.59 million number | +4.2% |
| 1997 | 1.68 million number | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 1.75 million number | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 1.79 million number | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 1.83 million number | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 1.83 million number | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.83 million number | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.84 million number | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 1.84 million number | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.81 million number | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 1.79 million number | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 1.78 million number | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 1.78 million number | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 1.80 million number | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 1.88 million number | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 1.95 million number | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 1.97 million number | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 1.97 million number | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 1.98 million number | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 1.96 million number | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 1.97 million number | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 2.01 million number | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 2.05 million number | +2.1% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 2.05 million number is above the median for high income countries, which is 164,826 number, 12.4× the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Spain's 2.05 million number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 257,598 number, 8.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Spain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +47.1% | 250,387 number | 368,299 number |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 457,550 number | 224,904 number | 662,812 number | 9 |
| 1980s | 856,922 number | 682,568 number | 1.10 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.49 million number | 1.17 million number | 1.79 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.81 million number | 1.78 million number | 1.84 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.97 million number | 1.88 million number | 2.05 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More education data for Spain
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.71 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 98.76 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 344,203 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 37,817 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 570,954 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 538,977 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.71 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.83 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Spain?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Spain was 2.05 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 2.05 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 224,904 number in 1971.
- How does Spain rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Spain ranks 22nd out of 193 countries with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.