Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number) by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
149
Highest
26.02 million
China, People's Republic of
Lowest
0
Malawi
Median
20,444
Years covered
29
1997–2025
Data points
7,760
What the numbers show
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number) is currently reported for 149 countries. The highest value is 26.02 million in China, People's Republic of; the lowest is 0 in Malawi.
The median across all reporting countries is 20,444, and the mean is 347,044.
Over the past decade 80 countries rose and 64 fell. The largest increase was in Egypt, Arab Republic of (up 578,397.0%), and the largest decrease in Lithuania (down 99.9%).
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China, People's Republic of | 26.02 million | 2024 | up 45.1% | rising |
| 2 | United States | 6.00 million | 2023 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 3 | Russian Federation | 3.26 million | 2024 | up 169.3% | falling |
| 4 | Türkiye, Republic of | 2.65 million | 2023 | up 73.3% | volatile |
| 5 | Indonesia | 936,547 | 2023 | down 18.2% | rising |
| 6 | Japan | 721,558 | 2023 | down 5.8% | falling |
| 7 | Colombia | 698,105 | 2022 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 8 | Vietnam | 633,311 | 2022 | down 25.5% | rising |
| 9 | Spain | 618,910 | 2024 | up 69.1% | rising |
| 10 | Nigeria | 555,491 | 2011 | up 81.5% | rising |
| 11 | Venezuela, República Bolivariana de | 509,857 | 2009 | up 127.4% | rising |
| 12 | France | 490,864 | 2024 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 13 | Argentina | 475,700 | 2023 | down 48.9% | rising |
| 14 | Canada | 441,714 | 2023 | up 35.7% | rising |
| 15 | Korea, Republic of | 431,394 | 2024 | down 43.8% | falling |
| 16 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 429,305 | 2022 | down 57.1% | rising |
| 17 | Australia | 397,182 | 2024 | down 38.4% | falling |
| 18 | Thailand | 372,854 | 2024 | up 13.9% | falling |
| 19 | Saudi Arabia | 370,514 | 2024 | up 141.4% | volatile |
| 20 | Ukraine | 367,623 | 2024 | down 35.2% | falling |
| 21 | South Africa | 329,214 | 2023 | up 0.5% | flat |
| 22 | United Kingdom | 327,575 | 2023 | up 0.2% | falling |
| 23 | Chile | 318,986 | 2024 | down 8.1% | rising |
| 24 | Malaysia | 306,001 | 2023 | down 29.7% | rising |
| 25 | Ecuador | 262,510 | 2023 | up 203.9% | rising |
| 26 | Greece | 224,478 | 2012 | up 30.8% | rising |
| 27 | Morocco | 203,406 | 2024 | up 21.1% | rising |
| 28 | Egypt, Arab Republic of | 173,549 | 2024 | up 578,397.0% | volatile |
| 29 | Côte d'Ivoire | 173,056 | 2024 | up 136.7% | rising |
| 30 | Mexico | 168,785 | 2024 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 31 | Algeria | 136,326 | 2024 | up 138.0% | falling |
| 32 | Ghana | 128,700 | 2024 | down 11.5% | rising |
| 33 | Uzbekistan, Republic of | 123,185 | 2024 | — | falling |
| 34 | Bangladesh | 108,223 | 2023 | down 20.3% | rising |
| 35 | Cameroon | 102,956 | 2023 | down 5.4% | volatile |
| 36 | Libya | 96,284 | 2003 | — | flat |
| 37 | Pakistan | 94,991 | 2015 | up 604.5% | volatile |
| 38 | Kazakhstan, Republic of | 90,593 | 2024 | down 45.5% | flat |
| 39 | Guatemala | 81,185 | 2023 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 40 | Tajikistan, Republic of | 76,709 | 2017 | up 136.6% | rising |
| 41 | Philippines | 72,568 | 2023 | down 68.4% | falling |
| 42 | Austria | 72,293 | 2024 | down 6.8% | rising |
| 43 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 69,266 | 2023 | up 39.5% | volatile |
| 44 | Belarus, Republic of | 68,600 | 2024 | down 37.2% | falling |
| 45 | Israel | 64,886 | 2024 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 46 | Kyrgyz Republic | 61,037 | 2024 | up 44.0% | rising |
| 47 | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 58,415 | 2024 | down 38.3% | falling |
| 48 | Singapore | 56,675 | 2023 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 49 | Benin | 49,126 | 2010 | up 1,139.0% | volatile |
| 50 | Azerbaijan, Republic of | 46,245 | 2024 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 51 | Sri Lanka | 45,291 | 2023 | up 96.5% | rising |
| 52 | Sweden | 44,202 | 2024 | up 73.6% | rising |
| 53 | Netherlands | 39,988 | 2023 | up 151.8% | volatile |
| 54 | New Zealand | 39,233 | 2024 | down 31.5% | falling |
| 55 | Jamaica | 37,406 | 2023 | up 4.8% | falling |
| 56 | Lebanon | 36,710 | 2023 | up 79.5% | rising |
| 57 | Congo, Republic of | 35,650 | 2023 | up 122.1% | volatile |
| 58 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 35,247 | 2024 | up 2,249.8% | volatile |
| 59 | Zambia | 34,886 | 2012 | up 6.2% | volatile |
| 60 | Italy | 33,178 | 2023 | up 1,234.6% | volatile |
| 61 | Cambodia | 33,018 | 2023 | up 49.9% | rising |
| 62 | Palestine | 32,696 | 2023 | up 26.1% | rising |
| 63 | Jordan | 31,520 | 2024 | up 40.7% | falling |
| 64 | Denmark | 31,193 | 2024 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 65 | Uruguay | 29,317 | 2023 | — | rising |
| 66 | Belgium | 28,328 | 2023 | up 17.4% | volatile |
| 67 | Myanmar | 28,258 | 2018 | up 1,323.6% | volatile |
| 68 | Syrian Arab Republic | 27,139 | 2016 | down 15.6% | flat |
| 69 | Costa Rica | 26,818 | 2019 | up 24.9% | rising |
| 70 | Kenya | 26,771 | 2019 | down 40.7% | falling |
| 71 | Turkmenistan | 26,728 | 2024 | up 84.9% | rising |
| 72 | Dominican Republic | 23,723 | 2024 | up 87.7% | rising |
| 73 | Kuwait | 21,524 | 2021 | down 29.7% | flat |
| 74 | Portugal | 21,257 | 2023 | up 5,281.5% | volatile |
| 75 | Oman | 20,444 | 2024 | down 4.6% | rising |
| 76 | Ireland | 19,774 | 2022 | down 50.3% | falling |
| 77 | Rwanda | 19,682 | 2024 | up 699.1% | volatile |
| 78 | El Salvador | 17,272 | 2024 | down 0.9% | flat |
| 79 | Niger | 16,853 | 2019 | up 418.2% | volatile |
| 80 | Moldova, Republic of | 15,830 | 2024 | up 4.9% | falling |
| 81 | Armenia, Republic of | 15,725 | 2024 | up 43.5% | falling |
| 82 | Burundi | 15,627 | 2025 | up 1,247.2% | volatile |
| 83 | Norway | 13,372 | 2024 | up 37.0% | volatile |
| 84 | Namibia | 13,210 | 2022 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 85 | Latvia | 12,797 | 2024 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 86 | Guinea | 12,593 | 2014 | up 62.8% | rising |
| 87 | Cuba | 11,742 | 2024 | up 248.3% | rising |
| 88 | Lesotho, Kingdom of | 11,470 | 2018 | up 534.1% | volatile |
| 89 | Botswana | 11,049 | 2023 | down 52.9% | falling |
| 90 | Hungary | 11,045 | 2024 | down 45.0% | volatile |
| 91 | Honduras | 10,899 | 2024 | up 12.4% | rising |
| 92 | Germany | 10,736 | 2024 | up 2,156.3% | volatile |
| 93 | Slovenia, Republic of | 9,987 | 2023 | down 25.5% | volatile |
| 94 | Senegal | 9,685 | 2024 | up 4,223.7% | volatile |
| 95 | United Arab Emirates | 9,208 | 2024 | down 4.1% | falling |
| 96 | Panama | 8,371 | 2022 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 97 | Belize | 7,123 | 2024 | up 83.9% | rising |
| 98 | Peru | 6,944 | 2024 | up 25.3% | volatile |
| 99 | Albania | 6,748 | 2024 | up 209.0% | volatile |
| 100 | Eswatini, Kingdom of | 6,581 | 2015 | — | volatile |
| 101 | Qatar | 6,525 | 2024 | up 17.5% | volatile |
| 102 | Guyana | 6,050 | 2012 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 103 | Trinidad and Tobago | 5,636 | 2004 | up 291.1% | volatile |
| 104 | Georgia | 4,810 | 2025 | up 106.6% | volatile |
| 105 | Paraguay | 4,726 | 2012 | down 84.4% | falling |
| 106 | Brunei Darussalam | 4,126 | 2023 | up 46.9% | rising |
| 107 | Bahrain, Kingdom of | 3,944 | 2024 | down 8.3% | rising |
| 108 | Barbados | 3,904 | 2011 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 109 | Central African Republic | 3,390 | 2012 | up 523.2% | volatile |
| 110 | Eritrea, The State of | 3,295 | 2016 | up 204.2% | rising |
| 111 | Cyprus | 2,825 | 2024 | down 4.5% | volatile |
| 112 | Switzerland | 2,820 | 2024 | down 70.6% | volatile |
| 113 | Mongolia | 2,620 | 2024 | down 35.2% | falling |
| 114 | Togo | 2,580 | 2020 | down 67.2% | rising |
| 115 | Malta | 2,446 | 2023 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 116 | Mauritius | 2,395 | 2024 | down 45.9% | falling |
| 117 | Bhutan | 2,284 | 2024 | up 78.7% | rising |
| 118 | Slovak Republic | 2,264 | 2024 | down 23.9% | falling |
| 119 | North Macedonia, Republic of | 1,921 | 2012 | down 38.4% | falling |
| 120 | Madagascar, Republic of | 1,914 | 2023 | down 46.3% | volatile |
| 121 | Burkina Faso | 1,715 | 2024 | down 51.2% | volatile |
| 122 | Grenada | 1,696 | 2023 | down 23.3% | flat |
| 123 | Mali | 1,497 | 2015 | down 86.0% | volatile |
| 124 | St. Lucia | 1,314 | 2023 | up 10.6% | volatile |
| 125 | Comoros, Union of the | 1,080 | 2014 | up 97.4% | volatile |
| 126 | Czech Republic | 1,070 | 2023 | up 7.9% | volatile |
| 127 | Luxembourg | 829 | 2024 | up 48.0% | falling |
| 128 | Cayman Islands | 816 | 2008 | up 264.3% | rising |
| 129 | Iceland | 794 | 2023 | up 75.7% | falling |
| 130 | British Virgin Islands | 713 | 2024 | down 13.8% | rising |
| 131 | Djibouti | 692 | 2009 | up 449.2% | rising |
| 132 | San Marino, Republic of | 618 | 2012 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 133 | Romania | 610 | 2011 | down 98.8% | volatile |
| 134 | Bermuda | 583 | 2023 | down 51.7% | falling |
| 135 | Samoa | 458 | 2024 | up 7.8% | volatile |
| 136 | Brazil | 393 | 2024 | down 98.8% | volatile |
| 137 | Poland, Republic of | 372 | 2024 | down 93.6% | volatile |
| 138 | Aruba, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 288 | 2016 | down 80.0% | falling |
| 139 | Seychelles | 248 | 2024 | up 1,027.3% | volatile |
| 140 | Cabo Verde | 239 | 2018 | down 58.8% | falling |
| 141 | Mauritania, Islamic Republic of | 237 | 2020 | down 40.0% | rising |
| 142 | Macao Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China | 154 | 2024 | down 70.3% | volatile |
| 143 | Sint Maarten, Kingdom of the Netherlands | 97 | 2023 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 144 | Monaco | 86 | 2024 | down 33.8% | falling |
| 145 | Lithuania | 45 | 2024 | down 99.9% | falling |
| 146 | Andorra, Principality of | 42.5 | 2024 | up 77.1% | rising |
| 147 | Finland | 21 | 2014 | down 86.8% | volatile |
| 148 | Croatia, Republic of | 7 | 2023 | down 93.5% | volatile |
| 149 | Malawi | 0 | 2007 | — | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- MDG: World 52.70 million
- SDG: World 52.70 million
- UIS: World 52.70 million
- WB: World 52.70 million
- UNICEF: World 52.63 million
- UNICEF: All Unicef Countries 43.50 million
- WB: Ida & Ibrd Total 42.48 million
- WB: Low & Middle Income (july 2025) 41.69 million
- WB: Middle Income (july 2025) 41.12 million
- MDG: Developing Regions 39.85 million
- WB: Ibrd Only 39.84 million
- ESCAP: All Countries (unsdcode:98400) 37.81 million
About this data
February 2026 Data Release