Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes was 11.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
11.0%
Change on year
down 0.7%
Rank
178th
of 221 groups
All-time high
11.1%
in 2023
All-time low
1.6%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
SDG: Least Developed Countries recorded 11.0% for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in 2024.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 11.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.6%, in 1971.
SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 178th of 221 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.6% | — |
| 1971 | 1.6% | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 1.7% | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 1.7% | -1.3% |
| 1974 | 1.7% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 1.7% | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | -2.9% |
| 1977 | 1.8% | +9.1% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 2.1% | +14.9% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 2.2% | +2.3% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | +7.8% |
| 1983 | 2.6% | +8.2% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 2.8% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 2.8% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | -6.4% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 2.8% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 2.8% | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 2.9% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 4.1% | +13.0% |
| 2002 | 4.2% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 4.4% | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 4.5% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 5.3% | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | +7.7% |
| 2008 | 6.3% | +10.6% |
| 2009 | 7.2% | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 7.9% | +10.9% |
| 2011 | 8.5% | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 8.9% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 9.0% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 9.3% | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 9.6% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 9.7% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 10.2% | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 10.7% | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 10.5% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 10.7% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 10.8% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 11.1% | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 11.0% | -0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 3.7% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.3% | 7.9% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.8% | 10.5% | 11.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 75.92 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 36.37 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 11.66 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.684 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 11.32 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.43 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.7503 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 87.82 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.09 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 11.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 11.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.6% in 1971.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 178th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release