Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy

Italy: Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from was 6.1% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
6.1%
Change on year
down 25.8%
World rank
101st
of 126 countries
All-time high
12.6%
in 2020
All-time low
3.3%
in 2016
Years of data
23
1998–2023

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy, 1998–2023

46810121998201020231998: 6.2 %1999: 5.1 %2000: 5.1 %2001: 8.8 %2002: 8.7 %2003: 8.5 %2004: 8.3 %2005: 9.6 %2006: 11.8 %2007: 11.9 %2008: 10.6 %2011: 6 %2012: 7 %2013: 4.5 %2014: 6.8 %2015: 3.8 %2016: 3.3 %2018: 6.9 %2019: 6.9 %2020: 12.6 %2021: 7.6 %2022: 8.2 %2023: 6.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Italy recorded 6.1% for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in 2023.

The figure is down 25.8% on the previous year and up 35.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy peaked at 12.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 2016.

That places Italy 101st out of 126 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 years of available data.

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, both sexes (%) in Italy, 1998 to 2023.
Year % Change
1998 6.2%
1999 5.1% -17.9%
2000 5.1% +1.0%
2001 8.8% +71.7%
2002 8.7% -1.0%
2003 8.5% -3.0%
2004 8.3% -1.6%
2005 9.6% +15.3%
2006 11.8% +22.8%
2007 11.9% +0.5%
2008 10.6% -10.8%
2011 6.0% -43.7%
2012 7.0% +18.1%
2013 4.5% -36.0%
2014 6.8% +51.3%
2015 3.8% -43.7%
2016 3.3% -14.1%
2018 6.9% +110.6%
2019 6.9% -0.3%
2020 12.6% +82.0%
2021 7.6% -39.4%
2022 8.2% +8.0%
2023 6.1% -25.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 5.6% 5.1% 6.2% 2
2000s 9.3% 5.1% 11.9% 9
2010s 5.7% 3.3% 7.0% 8
2020s 8.6% 6.1% 12.6% 4

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 98 United States 6.5% compare
  2. 99 Macao 6.5% compare
  3. 100 Türkiye 6.4% compare
  4. 102 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 6.1% compare
  5. 103 Romania 5.7% compare
  6. 104 Bermuda 5.6% compare

See the full ranking of 126 places →

More education data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy?
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy was 6.1% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 12.6% in 2020.
What is the lowest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 2016.
How does Italy rank for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from?
Italy ranks 101st out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
Is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Italy data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-education-programmes-both-2/italy/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
126 places, 1,867 data points, 1998–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release