Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female was 7.9% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa is 7.9%, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 28.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 7.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1970.
That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 199th 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 UIS: 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 | 1.3% | +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 | 3.1% | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 3.2% | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +9.1% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | +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% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 6.5% | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 6.8% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 6.9% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 7.1% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 7.2% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 7.4% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 7.5% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 7.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 7.8% | +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% | 3.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 3.4% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.9% | 5.9% | 7.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.8% | 7.8% | 7.9% | 2 |
More education data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 9.73 million (2021)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.7518 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 37.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 40.73 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25.04 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.63 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.6 % change on previous year (2021)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 4.53 % change on previous year (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female in UIS: 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 UIS: 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1970.
- How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female?
- UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 199th out of 221 groups with data for 2021.
- Is gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, female rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this UIS: 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