Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia

SDG: Eastern Asia: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 27.28 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
27.28 million
Change on year
down 0.3%
Rank
26th
of 218 groups
All-time high
27.36 million
in 2023
All-time low
5.38 million
in 1998
Years of data
27
1998–2024

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia, 1998–2024

5.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M25.0M1998201120241998: 5.4M1999: 5.6M2000: 6.2M2001: 7.0M2002: 8.1M2003: 10.0M2004: 11.4M2005: 12.2M2006: 13.2M2007: 13.8M2008: 13.8M2009: 14.9M2010: 15.5M2011: 15.2M2012: 15.2M2013: 15.6M2014: 19.6M2015: 20.1M2016: 20.3M2017: 20.2M2018: 20.6M2019: 21.6M2020: 23.6M2021: 25.5M2022: 26.8M2023: 27.4M2024: 27.3M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

SDG: Eastern Asia recorded 27.28 million for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in 2024.

The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 39.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia peaked at 27.36 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 5.38 million, in 1998.

SDG: Eastern Asia ranks 26th of 218 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number) in SDG: Eastern Asia, 1998 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1998 5.38 million
1999 5.56 million +3.3%
2000 6.24 million +12.3%
2001 6.96 million +11.5%
2002 8.14 million +16.8%
2003 9.99 million +22.9%
2004 11.42 million +14.3%
2005 12.15 million +6.4%
2006 13.21 million +8.7%
2007 13.78 million +4.3%
2008 13.77 million -0.1%
2009 14.86 million +7.9%
2010 15.54 million +4.6%
2011 15.17 million -2.4%
2012 15.20 million +0.2%
2013 15.59 million +2.6%
2014 19.61 million +25.8%
2015 20.13 million +2.6%
2016 20.26 million +0.7%
2017 20.21 million -0.3%
2018 20.63 million +2.1%
2019 21.62 million +4.8%
2020 23.62 million +9.3%
2021 25.46 million +7.8%
2022 26.80 million +5.3%
2023 27.36 million +2.1%
2024 27.28 million -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5.47 million 5.38 million 5.56 million 2
2000s 11.05 million 6.24 million 14.86 million 10
2010s 18.40 million 15.17 million 21.62 million 10
2020s 26.10 million 23.62 million 27.36 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Eastern Asia

  1. 23 Chile 318,986 compare
  2. 24 Malaysia 306,001 compare
  3. 25 Ecuador 262,510 compare
  4. 26 Greece 224,478 compare
  5. 27 Morocco 203,406 compare
  6. 28 Egypt 173,549 compare
  7. 29 Côte d'Ivoire 173,056 compare

See the full ranking of 367 places →

More education data for SDG: Eastern Asia

All data for SDG: Eastern Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia was 27.28 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern Asia?
The highest recorded value was 27.36 million in 2023.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in SDG: Eastern Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 5.38 million in 1998.
How does SDG: Eastern Asia rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
SDG: Eastern Asia ranks 26th out of 218 groups with data for 2024.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Eastern Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 39.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Eastern Asia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in SDG: Eastern Asia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-both-sexes-number-2/sdg-eastern-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
367 places, 7,760 data points, 1997–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release