Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) was 1.38 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.38 million
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
16th
of 195 countries
All-time high
1.38 million
in 2023
All-time low
401,500
in 1971
Years of data
53
1971–2023
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in United Kingdom, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 1.38 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in 2023. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in United Kingdom peaked at 1.38 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 401,500, in 1971.
That places United Kingdom 16th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, 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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 401,500 | — |
| 1972 | 408,400 | +1.7% |
| 1973 | 407,300 | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 411,037 | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 450,931 | +9.7% |
| 1976 | 468,693 | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 480,691 | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 488,508 | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 502,702 | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 505,175 | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 524,174 | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 538,179 | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 548,160 | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 555,791 | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 555,711 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 562,543 | +1.2% |
| 1987 | 575,018 | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 581,277 | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 592,884 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 616,865 | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 651,148 | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 709,727 | +9.0% |
| 1993 | 770,452 | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 831,129 | +7.9% |
| 1995 | 889,402 | +7.0% |
| 1996 | 901,733 | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 911,791 | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 917,556 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 973,987 | +6.2% |
| 2000 | 932,284 | -4.3% |
| 2001 | 939,743 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 1.00 million | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 1.01 million | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 965,426 | -4.3% |
| 2005 | 979,179 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 996,937 | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 1.01 million | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 996,455 | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.04 million | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 1.08 million | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 1.09 million | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 1.09 million | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 1.05 million | -4.0% |
| 2014 | 1.04 million | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 1.02 million | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 1.04 million | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.05 million | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 1.06 million | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.13 million | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 1.19 million | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 1.29 million | +9.1% |
| 2022 | 1.35 million | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 1.38 million | +2.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1.38 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 71,144, 19.4× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1.38 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 128,518, 10.8× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 446,640 | 401,500 | 502,702 | 9 |
| 1980s | 553,891 | 505,175 | 592,884 | 10 |
| 1990s | 817,379 | 616,865 | 973,987 | 10 |
| 2000s | 987,130 | 932,284 | 1.04 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.06 million | 1.02 million | 1.13 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.30 million | 1.19 million | 1.38 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 388,714 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 830,495 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 790,556 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in United Kingdom?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male in United Kingdom was 1.38 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1.38 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 401,500 in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male?
- United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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