Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes was 50.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia recorded 50.1% for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 31.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia peaked at 50.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.8%, in 1971.
SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 75th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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: Northern Africa and Western Asia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 17.6% | — |
| 1971 | 5.8% | -66.9% |
| 1972 | 6.0% | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 6.3% | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | +16.7% |
| 1975 | 7.3% | -0.3% |
| 1976 | 8.7% | +18.6% |
| 1977 | 8.5% | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 8.3% | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 8.4% | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 8.4% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 8.8% | +4.5% |
| 1982 | 9.0% | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 9.2% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 9.6% | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 10.4% | +8.0% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 10.5% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 13.7% | +30.2% |
| 1989 | 10.8% | -21.3% |
| 1990 | 11.1% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 11.2% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 12.8% | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 14.4% | +12.4% |
| 1995 | 14.8% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 16.7% | +12.6% |
| 1997 | 17.2% | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 17.9% | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 19.1% | +6.5% |
| 2000 | 19.5% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 20.0% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 20.9% | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 22.6% | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 23.8% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 24.8% | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 25.6% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 26.4% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 28.0% | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 30.1% | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 30.4% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 32.7% | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 35.6% | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 38.0% | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 42.7% | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 44.6% | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 46.3% | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 47.0% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 47.8% | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 48.5% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 48.7% | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 50.1% | +2.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -66.9% | 17.6% | 5.8% |
| 1988 | +30.2% | 10.5% | 13.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.4% | 5.8% | 17.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.1% | 8.4% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 11.1% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.3% | 19.5% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.8% | 30.1% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.7% | 47.8% | 50.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- 72 Romania 55.2% compare
- 73 Costa Rica 55.0% compare
- 74 North Macedonia 55.0% compare
- 75 Slovakia 54.5% compare
- 76 Algeria 54.4% compare
- 77 Lebanon 54.4% compare
- 78 Kyrgyzstan 53.9% compare
More education data for SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 32.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.2663 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.45 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 9.09 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 61.67 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 29.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7875 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 26.40 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia was 50.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 50.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.8% in 1971.
- How does SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia ranks 75th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this SDG: Northern Africa and Western Asia 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release