Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled male in South Korea

South Korea: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled male was 1.50 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1.50 million
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
15th
of 195 countries
All-time high
2.05 million
in 2003
All-time low
152,573
in 1971
Years of data
54
1971–2024

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps in South Korea, 1971–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M197119972024

Source: Statizoid (derived).

Analysis

In 2024, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 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 (number), gaps 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 54 years of available data.

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled male in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps filled in South Korea, 1971 to 2024.
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%
1981 516,660 +24.4%
1982 617,959 +19.6%
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)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 221,823 152,573 339,494 9
1980s 838,422 415,360 1.10 million 10
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

  1. 12 Egypt 1.94 million compare
  2. 13 Iran 1.70 million compare
  3. 14 Germany 1.62 million compare
  4. 16 United Kingdom 1.38 million compare
  5. 17 Argentina 1.36 million compare
  6. 18 Pakistan 1.36 million compare

See the full ranking of 416 places →

More education data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps in South Korea?
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps in South Korea was 1.50 million in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 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 (number), gaps 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 (number), gaps?
South Korea ranks 15th out of 195 countries with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 15 October 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-all-programmes-male-number-gaps-filled/korea-rep/

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How this figure is calculated

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) with 661 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps filled
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
416 places, 17,882 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) with 661 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.