Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) in South Korea
South Korea: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) was 1.50 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in South Korea, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in South Korea stood at 1.50 million.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in South Korea peaked at 2.05 million in 2003 and was at its lowest, 152,573, in 1971.
That places South Korea 15th out of 195 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 152,573 | — |
| 1972 | 161,406 | +5.8% |
| 1973 | 170,837 | +5.8% |
| 1974 | 183,846 | +7.6% |
| 1975 | 199,244 | +8.4% |
| 1976 | 237,455 | +19.2% |
| 1977 | 259,024 | +9.1% |
| 1978 | 292,531 | +12.9% |
| 1979 | 339,494 | +16.1% |
| 1980 | 415,360 | +22.3% |
| 1982 | 617,959 | +48.8% |
| 1983 | 759,970 | +23.0% |
| 1984 | 865,461 | +13.9% |
| 1985 | 927,987 | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 1.02 million | +10.3% |
| 1987 | 1.07 million | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 1.09 million | +2.2% |
| 1989 | 1.10 million | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 1.13 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 1.16 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 1.19 million | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 1.24 million | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 1.28 million | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 1.34 million | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 1.44 million | +7.5% |
| 1997 | 1.74 million | +20.7% |
| 1998 | 1.71 million | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 1.84 million | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 1.93 million | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 2.00 million | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 2.04 million | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.05 million | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 2.04 million | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 2.02 million | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 2.00 million | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 1.99 million | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.97 million | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 1.97 million | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 1.98 million | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 2.03 million | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 2.02 million | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 2.00 million | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 1.98 million | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.94 million | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 1.88 million | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 1.83 million | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 1.78 million | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 1.74 million | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 1.70 million | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 1.64 million | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 1.58 million | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 1.53 million | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 1.50 million | -2.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.50 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 71,144, 21.1× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.50 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 77,094, 19.4× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) in South Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +48.8% | 415,360 | 617,959 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 221,823 | 152,573 | 339,494 | 9 |
| 1980s | 874,173 | 415,360 | 1.10 million | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.41 million | 1.13 million | 1.84 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.00 million | 1.93 million | 2.05 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.92 million | 1.74 million | 2.03 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.59 million | 1.50 million | 1.70 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 233,046 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 76 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 434,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 412,067 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.66 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0484 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in South Korea?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in South Korea was 1.50 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.05 million in 2003.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 152,573 in 1971.
- How does South Korea rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male?
- South Korea ranks 15th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release