Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States
SDG: Small Island Developing States: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes was 28.5% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
28.5%
Change on year
down 3.3%
Rank
137th
of 221 groups
All-time high
38.9%
in 2009
All-time low
4.7%
in 1971
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States is 28.5%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 3.3% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States peaked at 38.9% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1971.
SDG: Small Island Developing States ranks 137th of 221 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 17.1% | — |
| 1971 | 4.7% | -72.4% |
| 1972 | 5.4% | +14.7% |
| 1973 | 6.0% | +11.3% |
| 1974 | 13.0% | +116.0% |
| 1975 | 7.2% | -44.5% |
| 1976 | 14.0% | +95.0% |
| 1977 | 14.6% | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 15.2% | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 15.3% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 15.5% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 15.4% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 15.6% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 17.8% | +14.2% |
| 1984 | 17.9% | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 18.2% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 15.3% | -15.8% |
| 1987 | 19.2% | +24.8% |
| 1988 | 19.3% | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 19.2% | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 19.3% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 19.6% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 19.6% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 19.1% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 18.8% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 18.4% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 18.5% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 18.0% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 20.5% | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 21.9% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 22.4% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 23.0% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 26.5% | +15.0% |
| 2005 | 28.1% | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 32.3% | +15.1% |
| 2007 | 35.7% | +10.6% |
| 2008 | 38.7% | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 38.9% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 36.7% | -5.7% |
| 2011 | 34.6% | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 32.6% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 29.6% | -9.0% |
| 2014 | 28.6% | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 28.4% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 28.5% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 30.3% | +6.2% |
| 2018 | 30.2% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 30.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 30.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 30.3% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 29.5% | -2.6% |
| 2023 | 29.5% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 28.5% | -3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 11.2% | 4.7% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.3% | 15.3% | 19.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.3% | 18.0% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.0% | 21.9% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.0% | 28.4% | 36.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.6% | 28.5% | 30.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Small Island Developing States
More education data for SDG: Small Island Developing States
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.021 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.60 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 430,327 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.756 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.1626 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.24 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 632,078 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: Small Island Developing States was 28.5% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- The highest recorded value was 38.9% in 2009.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1971.
- How does SDG: Small Island Developing States rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes?
- SDG: Small Island Developing States ranks 137th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Small Island Developing States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Small Island Developing States 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