Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from was 2.4% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
2.4%
Change on year
down 60.7%
World rank
119th
of 126 countries
All-time high
41.4%
in 2004
All-time low
2.4%
in 2024
Years of data
20
2004–2024

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Saudi Arabia, 2004–2024

0102030402004201420242004: 41.4 %2005: 27.6 %2006: 5.5 %2007: 7 %2008: 6.5 %2009: 6.6 %2010: 12.3 %2011: 11.3 %2012: 9 %2013: 8.3 %2014: 12.5 %2015: 15 %2016: 14.7 %2017: 10.9 %2018: 13.3 %2019: 13.4 %2020: 7.7 %2021: 6.9 %2022: 6.2 %2024: 2.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Saudi Arabia recorded 2.4% for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.

The figure is down 60.7% on the previous year and down 80.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Saudi Arabia peaked at 41.4% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2024.

That places Saudi Arabia 119th out of 126 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Saudi Arabia, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, both sexes (%) in Saudi Arabia, 2004 to 2024.
Year % Change
2004 41.4%
2005 27.6% -33.3%
2006 5.5% -80.0%
2007 7.0% +26.9%
2008 6.5% -6.7%
2009 6.6% +0.4%
2010 12.3% +88.0%
2011 11.3% -8.2%
2012 9.0% -20.1%
2013 8.3% -8.6%
2014 12.5% +50.8%
2015 15.0% +20.0%
2016 14.7% -1.6%
2017 10.9% -26.0%
2018 13.3% +21.5%
2019 13.4% +1.4%
2020 7.7% -42.4%
2021 6.9% -10.9%
2022 6.2% -10.8%
2024 2.4% -60.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 15.8% 5.5% 41.4% 6
2010s 12.1% 8.3% 15.0% 10
2020s 5.8% 2.4% 7.7% 4

Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia

  1. 116 Niger 3.2% compare
  2. 117 North Macedonia 3.2% compare
  3. 118 Benin 2.7% compare
  4. 120 Cameroon 2.3% compare
  5. 121 Algeria 1.9% compare
  6. 122 Bangladesh 1.2% compare

See the full ranking of 126 places →

More education data for Saudi Arabia

All data for Saudi Arabia →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Saudi Arabia?
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in Saudi Arabia was 2.4% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The highest recorded value was 41.4% in 2004.
What is the lowest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2024.
How does Saudi Arabia rank for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from?
Saudi Arabia ranks 119th out of 126 countries with data for 2024.
Is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
Over the last ten years it is down 80.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-education-programmes-both-2/saudi-arabia/

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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