Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) in SDG: Southern Asia
SDG: Southern Asia: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) was 26.97 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in SDG: Southern Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in SDG: Southern Asia is 26.97 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 43.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in SDG: Southern Asia peaked at 26.97 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 599,053, in 1971.
That places SDG: Southern Asia 41st out of 221 groups with data for 2024, 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, female (number) in SDG: Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.07 million | — |
| 1971 | 599,053 | -71.1% |
| 1972 | 2.08 million | +248.0% |
| 1973 | 679,671 | -67.4% |
| 1974 | 2.16 million | +217.2% |
| 1975 | 2.23 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 813,405 | -63.5% |
| 1977 | 863,051 | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 909,614 | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 987,401 | +8.6% |
| 1980 | 1.02 million | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 1.13 million | +10.8% |
| 1982 | 1.20 million | +6.3% |
| 1983 | 1.37 million | +13.8% |
| 1984 | 1.48 million | +8.2% |
| 1985 | 1.59 million | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 1.70 million | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 1.80 million | +5.9% |
| 1988 | 1.74 million | -3.6% |
| 1989 | 1.85 million | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 2.00 million | +7.9% |
| 1991 | 2.10 million | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 3.62 million | +72.3% |
| 1993 | 3.69 million | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 3.75 million | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 2.31 million | -38.6% |
| 1996 | 2.75 million | +19.3% |
| 1997 | 2.99 million | +8.5% |
| 1998 | 4.35 million | +45.6% |
| 1999 | 4.51 million | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 4.66 million | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 5.10 million | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 5.46 million | +7.1% |
| 2003 | 5.81 million | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 6.18 million | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 6.59 million | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 7.32 million | +11.1% |
| 2007 | 8.38 million | +14.5% |
| 2008 | 9.72 million | +16.0% |
| 2009 | 10.41 million | +7.1% |
| 2010 | 11.85 million | +13.9% |
| 2011 | 15.06 million | +27.0% |
| 2012 | 16.99 million | +12.8% |
| 2013 | 17.29 million | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 18.77 million | +8.6% |
| 2015 | 19.66 million | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 19.75 million | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 20.38 million | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 21.05 million | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 22.39 million | +6.4% |
| 2020 | 23.15 million | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 24.32 million | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 24.87 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 26.49 million | +6.5% |
| 2024 | 26.97 million | +1.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) in SDG: Southern Asia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | +248.0% | 599,053 | 2.08 million |
| 1974 | +217.2% | 679,671 | 2.16 million |
| 1971 | -71.1% | 2.07 million | 599,053 |
| 1973 | -67.4% | 2.08 million | 679,671 |
| 1976 | -63.5% | 2.23 million | 813,405 |
| 1992 | +72.3% | 2.10 million | 3.62 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.34 million | 599,053 | 2.23 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.49 million | 1.02 million | 1.85 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.21 million | 2.00 million | 4.51 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.96 million | 4.66 million | 10.41 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.32 million | 11.85 million | 22.39 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.16 million | 23.15 million | 26.97 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Southern Asia
More education data for SDG: Southern Asia
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 88.16 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 54.48 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -1.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 94.56 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.205 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.70 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 3.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 7.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 2.81 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in SDG: Southern Asia?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in SDG: Southern Asia was 26.97 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in SDG: Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.97 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in SDG: Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 599,053 in 1971.
- How does SDG: Southern Asia rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female?
- SDG: Southern Asia ranks 41st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female rising or falling in SDG: Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this SDG: Southern Asia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release