Percentage of graduates from programmes other … graduates both sexes in South Korea
South Korea: Percentage of graduates from programmes other … graduates both sexes was 68.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Percentage of graduates from programmes other than Science in South Korea, 1998–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of graduates from programmes other than science in South Korea is 68.9%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from programmes other than science in South Korea peaked at 70.6% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 57.7%, in 1998.
That places South Korea 106th out of 124 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Percentage of graduates from programmes other … graduates both sexes in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 57.7% | — |
| 1999 | 58.2% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 59.6% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 58.6% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 58.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 59.2% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 61.3% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 62.6% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 64.1% | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 65.7% | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 67.2% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 68.8% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 67.7% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 70.5% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 70.6% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 70.4% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 69.8% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 69.6% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 69.6% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 69.0% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 68.9% | -0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 68.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 75.4%, 91% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 68.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 76.8%, 90% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.9% | 57.7% | 58.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 62.6% | 58.6% | 68.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.8% | 67.7% | 70.6% | 5 |
| 2020s | 69.4% | 68.9% | 69.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.79 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.94 (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of graduates from programmes other than science in South Korea?
- Percentage of graduates from programmes other than science in South Korea was 68.9% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of graduates from programmes other than science recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 70.6% in 2017.
- What is the lowest percentage of graduates from programmes other than science recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.7% in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for percentage of graduates from programmes other than science?
- South Korea ranks 106th out of 124 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of graduates from programmes other than science rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of graduates from programmes other than Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in tertiary education, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release