Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya
Kenya: Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions was 58.8% in 2017. ▼ Falling
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya, 2001–2017
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2017, percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya stood at 58.8%. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya peaked at 65.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 58.8%, in 2017.
That places Kenya 20th out of 149 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the top quarter.
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 65.1% | — |
| 2004 | 63.2% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 60.4% | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 59.5% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 60.2% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 58.8% | -2.3% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 58.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.7%, 1.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 58.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.2%, 1.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 62.9% | 60.4% | 65.1% | 3 |
| 2010s | 59.5% | 58.8% | 60.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
- 17 Japan 60.0% compare
- 18 Burkina Faso 59.8% compare
- 19 Eritrea 59.0% compare
- 21 Tajikistan 58.0% compare
- 22 Mozambique 57.6% compare
- 23 Comoros 55.9% compare
More education data for Kenya
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 168,396 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 235,728 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.44 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.74 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 8.04 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.7181 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1453 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya?
- Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Kenya was 58.8% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 65.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.8% in 2017.
- How does Kenya rank for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions?
- Kenya ranks 20th out of 149 countries with data for 2017.
- Is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Kenya 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.
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CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release