Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in China
China: Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions was 50.4% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in China, 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 China is 50.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in China peaked at 50.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 2018.
That places China 36th out of 149 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 49.4% | — |
| 2014 | 49.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 48.6% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 48.3% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 48.3% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 48.2% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 48.9% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 49.3% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 50.0% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 50.2% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 50.4% | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 50.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 41.2%, 1.2× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- China's 50.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 43.2%, 1.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 48.6% | 48.2% | 49.4% | 7 |
| 2020s | 49.7% | 48.9% | 50.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in China?
- Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in China was 50.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 50.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 2018.
- How does China rank for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions?
- China ranks 36th out of 149 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions, male (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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