Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) in OECD members
OECD members: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) was 33.93 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
33.93 million number
Change on year
down 1.5%
Rank
12th
of 45 groups
All-time high
34.45 million number
in 2018
All-time low
6.60 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in OECD members, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
OECD members recorded 33.93 million number for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in OECD members peaked at 34.45 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 6.60 million number, in 1970.
OECD members ranks 12th of 45 groups on this measure, 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, female (number) in OECD members, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 6.60 million number | — |
| 1971 | 7.02 million number | +6.4% |
| 1972 | 7.46 million number | +6.3% |
| 1973 | 8.03 million number | +7.5% |
| 1974 | 8.52 million number | +6.1% |
| 1975 | 9.22 million number | +8.2% |
| 1976 | 9.99 million number | +8.3% |
| 1977 | 10.43 million number | +4.5% |
| 1978 | 11.00 million number | +5.5% |
| 1979 | 11.27 million number | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 11.75 million number | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 12.31 million number | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 12.75 million number | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 13.11 million number | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 13.49 million number | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 13.73 million number | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 14.01 million number | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 14.43 million number | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 14.97 million number | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 15.57 million number | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 16.45 million number | +5.7% |
| 1991 | 17.06 million number | +3.7% |
| 1992 | 18.04 million number | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 18.29 million number | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 19.91 million number | +8.8% |
| 1995 | 20.48 million number | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 20.05 million number | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 20.54 million number | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 21.30 million number | +3.7% |
| 1999 | 22.12 million number | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 22.32 million number | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 23.14 million number | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 25.17 million number | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 26.28 million number | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 26.99 million number | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 27.51 million number | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 28.29 million number | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 28.74 million number | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 29.23 million number | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 30.22 million number | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 31.72 million number | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 32.62 million number | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 33.08 million number | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 32.76 million number | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 32.94 million number | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 33.16 million number | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 33.77 million number | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 34.12 million number | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 34.45 million number | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 33.93 million number | -1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.95 million number | 6.60 million number | 11.27 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 13.61 million number | 11.75 million number | 15.57 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.42 million number | 16.45 million number | 22.12 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.79 million number | 22.32 million number | 30.22 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.26 million number | 31.72 million number | 34.45 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More education data for OECD members
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2049 % change on previous year (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 116.41 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0654 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.28 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, per capita 0.0833 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in OECD members?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in OECD members was 33.93 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 34.45 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.60 million number in 1970.
- How does OECD members rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female?
- OECD members ranks 12th out of 45 groups with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. 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, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total number of female students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.