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

Latest (2023)
6.1%
Change on year
down 17.8%
World rank
102nd
of 126 countries
All-time high
11.2%
in 2008
All-time low
6.1%
in 2023
Years of data
21
2000–2023

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

02.557.5102000201120232000: 9.1 %2001: 10.4 %2002: 10.7 %2003: 10.6 %2004: 9.9 %2005: 10.6 %2006: 11 %2007: 11.1 %2008: 11.2 %2009: 10.9 %2010: 11 %2011: 10.5 %2012: 10.2 %2013: 9.9 %2014: 9.7 %2015: 9.6 %2016: 9.3 %2019: 7.8 %2020: 7.4 %2021: 7.4 %2023: 6.1 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 6.1%. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.8% on the previous year and down 38.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 11.2% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 2023.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 102nd of 126 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

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

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

Annual values for Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, both sexes (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 9.1%
2001 10.4% +14.0%
2002 10.7% +3.0%
2003 10.6% -1.3%
2004 9.9% -6.8%
2005 10.6% +7.7%
2006 11.0% +3.3%
2007 11.1% +1.0%
2008 11.2% +0.6%
2009 10.9% -2.7%
2010 11.0% +0.8%
2011 10.5% -3.8%
2012 10.2% -2.9%
2013 9.9% -3.6%
2014 9.7% -1.6%
2015 9.6% -1.3%
2016 9.3% -3.5%
2019 7.8% -15.2%
2020 7.4% -6.1%
2021 7.4% +0.8%
2023 6.1% -17.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.6% 9.1% 11.2% 10
2010s 9.8% 7.8% 11.0% 8
2020s 7.0% 6.1% 7.4% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 99 Macao 6.5% compare
  2. 100 Türkiye 6.4% compare
  3. 101 Italy 6.1% compare
  4. 103 Romania 5.7% compare
  5. 104 Bermuda 5.6% compare
  6. 105 Lithuania 5.5% compare

See the full ranking of 126 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 in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2008.
What is the lowest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 2023.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 102nd out of 126 countries with data for 2023.
Is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 38.2%. 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 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-education-programmes-both-2/united-kingdom/

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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