Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female was 7.9% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa recorded 7.9% for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 28.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 7.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1970.
That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 200th out of 221 groups with data for 2021, putting it 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 SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.5% | — |
| 1971 | 0.5% | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 0.6% | +5.7% |
| 1973 | 0.6% | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | +9.9% |
| 1975 | 0.7% | +7.1% |
| 1976 | 0.7% | +7.5% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | +8.9% |
| 1978 | 0.9% | +8.9% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 1.0% | +7.9% |
| 1981 | 1.1% | +9.6% |
| 1982 | 1.2% | +9.1% |
| 1983 | 1.3% | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +6.2% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 1.7% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 1.8% | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | +8.1% |
| 1993 | 2.3% | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | +10.8% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 2.8% | +4.6% |
| 1997 | 2.9% | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | +6.4% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 4.7% | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 5.9% | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 6.7% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 7.1% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 7.2% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 7.3% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 7.7% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 7.9% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 1.0% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 1.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 3.4% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.9% | 5.9% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.8% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 2 |
More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 191.30 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.60 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 12.63 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12.47 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.8202 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 97.68 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 7.9% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.9% in 2021.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1970.
- How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female?
- SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 200th out of 221 groups with data for 2021.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this SDG: 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