Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea
Korea: Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions was 39.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea, 2013–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea is 39.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea peaked at 39.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.9%, in 2013.
Korea ranks 135th of 149 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 35.9% | — |
| 2014 | 36.1% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 37.0% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 37.5% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 38.0% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 38.3% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 38.6% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 38.8% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 39.0% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 39.2% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 39.4% | +0.5% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 39.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 57.0%, 69% of the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Korea's 39.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 56.8%, 69% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 37.1% | 35.9% | 38.3% | 7 |
| 2020s | 39.0% | 38.6% | 39.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 132 Burkina Faso 40.2% compare
- 133 Japan 40.0% compare
- 134 Djibouti 39.9%
- 136 Malawi 38.2%
- 137 Mauritania 37.6% compare
- 138 Angola 36.6% compare
More education data for Korea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 233,046 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 76 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 434,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 412,067 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.66 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0484 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea?
- Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Korea was 39.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 39.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.9% in 2013.
- How does Korea rank for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions?
- Korea ranks 135th out of 149 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release