Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria

Bulgaria: Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes was 48.1% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
48.1%
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
18th
of 44 countries
All-time high
48.5%
in 2018
All-time low
25.8%
in 2006
Years of data
16
2006–2021

Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria, 2006–2021

010203040502006201320212006: 25.8 %2007: 26.9 %2008: 28.4 %2009: 30.9 %2010: 32.7 %2011: 32.8 %2012: 39.4 %2013: 38.8 %2014: 44.1 %2015: 44.5 %2016: 44 %2017: 43.9 %2018: 48.5 %2019: 46 %2020: 46.6 %2021: 48.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2021, gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria stood at 48.1%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 46.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria peaked at 48.5% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 25.8%, in 2006.

That places Bulgaria 18th out of 44 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria, year by year

Annual values for Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes (%) in Bulgaria, 2006 to 2021.
Year % Change
2006 25.8%
2007 26.9% +4.2%
2008 28.4% +5.4%
2009 30.9% +8.8%
2010 32.7% +6.1%
2011 32.8% +0.2%
2012 39.4% +20.2%
2013 38.8% -1.5%
2014 44.1% +13.6%
2015 44.5% +0.9%
2016 44.0% -1.0%
2017 43.9% -0.3%
2018 48.5% +10.6%
2019 46.0% -5.2%
2020 46.6% +1.2%
2021 48.1% +3.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 28.0% 25.8% 30.9% 4
2010s 41.5% 32.7% 48.5% 10
2020s 47.3% 46.6% 48.1% 2

Countries ranked near Bulgaria

  1. 15 Mexico 56.7% compare
  2. 16 Portugal 54.4% compare
  3. 17 Belgium 51.8% compare
  4. 19 Slovenia 45.4% compare
  5. 20 China 44.6% compare
  6. 21 El Salvador 44.2% compare

See the full ranking of 44 places →

More education data for Bulgaria

All data for Bulgaria →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria?
Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria was 48.1% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in Bulgaria?
The highest recorded value was 48.5% in 2018.
What is the lowest gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in Bulgaria?
The lowest recorded value was 25.8% in 2006.
How does Bulgaria rank for gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes?
Bulgaria ranks 18th out of 44 countries with data for 2021.
Is gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in Bulgaria?
Over the last ten years it is up 46.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/gross-attendance-ratio-for-tertiary-education-both-sexes-percent-2/bulgaria/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/gross-attendance-ratio-for-tertiary-education-both-sexes-percent-2/bulgaria/">Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in Bulgaria</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
44 places, 712 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release