Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female was 3.82 million number in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) is 3.82 million number, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 73.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 3.82 million number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 155,130 number, in 1970.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 36th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 155,130 number | — |
| 1971 | 158,985 number | +2.5% |
| 1972 | 163,655 number | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 169,290 number | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 180,327 number | +6.5% |
| 1975 | 190,255 number | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 200,976 number | +5.6% |
| 1977 | 214,632 number | +6.8% |
| 1978 | 230,099 number | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 249,901 number | +8.6% |
| 1980 | 268,588 number | +7.5% |
| 1981 | 290,766 number | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 313,918 number | +8.0% |
| 1983 | 330,433 number | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 349,192 number | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 373,781 number | +7.0% |
| 1986 | 400,815 number | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 424,879 number | +6.0% |
| 1988 | 448,070 number | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 483,362 number | +7.9% |
| 1990 | 504,738 number | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 549,339 number | +8.8% |
| 1992 | 596,158 number | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 658,679 number | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 734,109 number | +11.5% |
| 1995 | 784,100 number | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 840,571 number | +7.2% |
| 1997 | 893,961 number | +6.4% |
| 1998 | 955,382 number | +6.9% |
| 1999 | 1.02 million number | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 1.15 million number | +12.6% |
| 2001 | 1.28 million number | +10.8% |
| 2002 | 1.42 million number | +11.1% |
| 2003 | 1.55 million number | +9.1% |
| 2004 | 1.68 million number | +8.4% |
| 2005 | 1.82 million number | +8.6% |
| 2006 | 1.95 million number | +7.1% |
| 2007 | 2.06 million number | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 2.21 million number | +7.4% |
| 2009 | 2.41 million number | +9.4% |
| 2010 | 2.63 million number | +8.9% |
| 2011 | 2.78 million number | +5.8% |
| 2012 | 3.02 million number | +8.5% |
| 2013 | 3.24 million number | +7.5% |
| 2014 | 3.38 million number | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 3.51 million number | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 3.59 million number | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 3.70 million number | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 3.82 million number | +3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 191,325 number | 155,130 number | 249,901 number | 10 |
| 1980s | 368,380 number | 268,588 number | 483,362 number | 10 |
| 1990s | 753,987 number | 504,738 number | 1.02 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.75 million number | 1.15 million number | 2.41 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.30 million number | 2.63 million number | 3.82 million number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More education data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 196.79 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 81.42 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 5.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 40.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9733 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1526 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 56.4% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 3.82 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 3.82 million number in 2018.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 155,130 number in 1970.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 36th out of 45 groups with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 73.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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.