Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126): Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes was 7.50 million in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
7.50 million
Change on year
up 4.3%
Rank
126th
of 204 groups
All-time high
7.50 million
in 2021
All-time low
4.69 million
in 2011
Years of data
11
2011–2021

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 2011–2021

02.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M2011201620212011: 4.7M2012: 5.1M2013: 5.4M2014: 5.6M2015: 5.9M2016: 6.1M2017: 6.4M2018: 6.7M2019: 6.9M2020: 7.2M2021: 7.5M

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) is 7.50 million, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is up 4.3% on the previous year and up 59.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) peaked at 7.50 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.69 million, in 2011.

That places ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) 126th out of 204 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes (number) in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126), 2011 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2011 4.69 million
2012 5.05 million +7.6%
2013 5.39 million +6.8%
2014 5.63 million +4.3%
2015 5.86 million +4.1%
2016 6.12 million +4.5%
2017 6.43 million +5.1%
2018 6.71 million +4.3%
2019 6.92 million +3.2%
2020 7.19 million +4.0%
2021 7.50 million +4.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 5.87 million 4.69 million 6.92 million 9
2020s 7.35 million 7.19 million 7.50 million 2

Countries ranked near ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

  1. 123 Belize 2,637 compare
  2. 124 Samoa 1,998 compare
  3. 125 San Marino 855
  4. 126 Seychelles 769 compare
  5. 127 Monaco 762 compare
  6. 128 Saint Lucia 623 compare
  7. 129 Liechtenstein 433 compare

See the full ranking of 335 places →

More education data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)

All data for ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) was 7.50 million in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
The highest recorded value was 7.50 million in 2021.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes recorded in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
The lowest recorded value was 4.69 million in 2011.
How does ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes?
ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) ranks 126th out of 204 groups with data for 2021.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 6 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126)?
Over the last ten years it is up 59.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126) data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes in ECA: Sub-saharan Africa (unsdcode:98126). Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-6-programmes-both-sexes-number-2/eca-sub-saharan-africa-unsdcode-98126/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 6 programmes, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
335 places, 3,870 data points, 1999–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release