Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Spain

Spain: Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes was 38.9% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
38.9%
Change on year
down 23.1%
World rank
26th
of 42 countries
All-time high
50.6%
in 2020
All-time low
31.6%
in 2010
Years of data
16
2006–2021

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

02040602006201320212006: 34.2 %2007: 33.7 %2008: 34.1 %2009: 33 %2010: 31.6 %2011: 39.2 %2012: 37.4 %2013: 42.1 %2014: 45.6 %2015: 46.3 %2016: 46.3 %2017: 46.7 %2018: 46.3 %2019: 47 %2020: 50.6 %2021: 38.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Spain recorded 38.9% for gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in 2021.

The figure is down 23.1% on the previous year and down 0.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Spain peaked at 50.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 31.6%, in 2010.

Spain ranks 26th of 42 countries on this measure, 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, urban, both sexes in Spain, year by year

Annual values for Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes (%) in Spain, 2006 to 2021.
Year % Change
2006 34.2%
2007 33.7% -1.5%
2008 34.1% +1.2%
2009 33.0% -3.1%
2010 31.6% -4.2%
2011 39.2% +23.9%
2012 37.4% -4.5%
2013 42.1% +12.6%
2014 45.6% +8.4%
2015 46.3% +1.5%
2016 46.3% -0.0%
2017 46.7% +0.7%
2018 46.3% -0.7%
2019 47.0% +1.3%
2020 50.6% +7.7%
2021 38.9% -23.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 33.7% 33.0% 34.2% 4
2010s 42.9% 31.6% 47.0% 10
2020s 44.7% 38.9% 50.6% 2

Countries ranked near Spain

  1. 23 France 43.3% compare
  2. 24 Lithuania 40.1% compare
  3. 25 Luxembourg 39.6% compare
  4. 27 Cyprus 38.3% compare
  5. 28 Guatemala 37.5% compare
  6. 29 Norway 36.9% compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More education data for Spain

All data for Spain →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Spain?
Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Spain was 38.9% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes recorded in Spain?
The highest recorded value was 50.6% in 2020.
What is the lowest gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes recorded in Spain?
The lowest recorded value was 31.6% in 2010.
How does Spain rank for gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes?
Spain ranks 26th out of 42 countries with data for 2021.
Is gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Spain?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Spain data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Spain. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/gross-attendance-ratio-for-tertiary-education-urban-both-sexes-percent-2/spain/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
42 places, 699 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release