Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female was 8.2% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
8.2%
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
192nd
of 221 groups
All-time high
8.2%
in 2021
All-time low
1.1%
in 1971
Years of data
52
1970–2021
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 8.2% for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 26.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 8.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 1971.
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 192nd 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, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.1% | — |
| 1971 | 1.1% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 1.1% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 1.1% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 1.2% | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 1.2% | +2.4% |
| 1976 | 1.2% | +2.9% |
| 1977 | 1.3% | +3.9% |
| 1978 | 1.3% | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 1.4% | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 1.5% | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 1.5% | +5.7% |
| 1982 | 1.6% | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.7% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 1.7% | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 1.9% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 2.1% | +4.6% |
| 1990 | 2.1% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 2.2% | +6.1% |
| 1992 | 2.4% | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 2.5% | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | +9.2% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 2.9% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 3.1% | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 3.3% | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | +8.9% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | +7.6% |
| 2002 | 4.2% | +7.9% |
| 2003 | 4.4% | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | +5.9% |
| 2005 | 5.0% | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 5.6% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 6.5% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 6.9% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 7.2% | +4.7% |
| 2014 | 7.3% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 7.5% | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 7.5% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 7.9% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 8.0% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 8.1% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 8.2% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.1% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.8% | 3.6% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.3% | 6.3% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
More education data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 5.90 million (2021)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 39.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 42.42 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.52 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.88 % change on previous year (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.60 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 8.2% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 1971.
- How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female?
- MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 192nd out of 221 groups with data for 2021.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release