Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in United States of America
United States of America: Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 98.3% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in United States of America, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
United States of America recorded 98.3% for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in 2018.
That represents a change of up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in United States of America peaked at 98.4% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 74.3%, in 1979.
United States of America ranks 29th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 76.0% | — |
| 1972 | 76.2% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 76.5% | +0.4% |
| 1975 | 76.8% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 78.0% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 77.3% | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 77.2% | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 74.3% | -3.9% |
| 1980 | 81.5% | +9.8% |
| 1981 | 81.5% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 83.5% | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 83.2% | -0.4% |
| 1984 | 83.8% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 83.5% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 84.9% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 86.4% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 90.2% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 90.7% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 94.1% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 94.3% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 94.4% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 94.1% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 94.2% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 93.5% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 91.3% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 92.0% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 92.2% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 93.4% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 93.7% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 94.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 94.4% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 95.0% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 95.3% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 95.9% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 96.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 96.5% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 96.3% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 96.6% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 96.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 97.5% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 98.2% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 98.4% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 98.3% | -0.0% |
United States of America compared with similar countries
- United States of America's 98.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 95.7%, 1.0× the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 76.5% | 74.3% | 78.0% | 8 |
| 1980s | 83.5% | 81.5% | 86.4% | 8 |
| 1990s | 93.2% | 90.2% | 94.4% | 8 |
| 2000s | 93.7% | 91.3% | 95.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 97.2% | 96.0% | 98.4% | 9 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More education data for United States of America
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in United States of America?
- Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes in United States of America was 98.3% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 98.4% in 2017.
- What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.3% in 1979.
- How does United States of America rank for gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- United States of America ranks 29th out of 181 countries with data for 2018.
- Is gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, primary to tertiary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total enrollment in primary, secondary and tertiary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of primary school age, secondary school age, and the five-year age group following on from secondary school leaving. GER can exceed 100% due to the inclusion of over-aged and under-aged students because of early or late school entrance and grade repetition.