Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts was 12.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
12.2%
Change on year
down 13.7%
World rank
21st
of 124 countries
All-time high
16.3%
in 2014
All-time low
12.2%
in 2023
Years of data
21
2000–2023

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000–2023

0510152000201120232000: 13.9 %2001: 15.2 %2002: 14.8 %2003: 15.3 %2004: 15.3 %2005: 15.4 %2006: 15.4 %2007: 15.9 %2008: 16.2 %2009: 16 %2010: 15.7 %2011: 16 %2012: 16.1 %2013: 16.1 %2014: 16.3 %2015: 15.5 %2016: 15.4 %2019: 14.8 %2020: 14.6 %2021: 14.2 %2023: 12.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 12.2% for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

The figure is down 13.7% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 16.3% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 2023.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 21st of 124 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts and Humanities programmes, both sexes (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 13.9%
2001 15.2% +8.9%
2002 14.8% -2.6%
2003 15.3% +3.2%
2004 15.3% +0.4%
2005 15.4% +0.5%
2006 15.4% +0.2%
2007 15.9% +2.9%
2008 16.2% +1.8%
2009 16.0% -0.8%
2010 15.7% -1.8%
2011 16.0% +1.5%
2012 16.1% +1.0%
2013 16.1% +0.0%
2014 16.3% +0.9%
2015 15.5% -4.7%
2016 15.4% -0.8%
2019 14.8% -3.9%
2020 14.6% -1.2%
2021 14.2% -2.8%
2023 12.2% -13.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.3% 13.9% 16.2% 10
2010s 15.7% 14.8% 16.3% 8
2020s 13.7% 12.2% 14.6% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 18 Tunisia 12.9% compare
  2. 19 Saudi Arabia 12.9% compare
  3. 20 Benin 12.8% compare
  4. 22 Morocco 11.7% compare
  5. 23 New Zealand 11.7% compare
  6. 24 Argentina 11.0% compare

See the full ranking of 124 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 12.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 16.3% in 2014.
What is the lowest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 2023.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 21st out of 124 countries with data for 2023.
Is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from arts rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts and Humanities programmes, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-arts-and-humanities-2/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Arts and Humanities programmes, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
124 places, 1,844 data points, 1998–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release