Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America

United States of America: Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from was 8.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
8.8%
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
95th
of 124 countries
All-time high
15.3%
in 1999
All-time low
8.7%
in 2020
Years of data
9
1999–2023

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America, 1999–2023

0510151999201120231999: 15.3 %2013: 10.6 %2014: 9.9 %2015: 9.3 %2016: 9 %2019: 8.7 %2020: 8.7 %2021: 8.8 %2023: 8.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2023, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America stood at 8.8%.

The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America peaked at 15.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 2020.

United States of America ranks 95th of 124 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, female (%) in United States of America, 1999 to 2023.
Year % Change
1999 15.3%
2013 10.6% -30.9%
2014 9.9% -6.2%
2015 9.3% -6.0%
2016 9.0% -3.1%
2019 8.7% -3.8%
2020 8.7% -0.2%
2021 8.8% +1.5%
2023 8.8% -0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 15.3% 15.3% 15.3% 1
2010s 9.5% 8.7% 10.6% 5
2020s 8.8% 8.7% 8.8% 3

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 92 Madagascar 9.6% compare
  2. 93 Bermuda 9.5% compare
  3. 94 Cambodia 9.3% compare
  4. 96 Romania 8.6% compare
  5. 97 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 8.2% compare
  6. 98 Macao 8.1% compare

See the full ranking of 124 places →

More education data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America?
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America was 8.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 15.3% in 1999.
What is the lowest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 2020.
How does United States of America rank for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from?
United States of America ranks 95th out of 124 countries with data for 2023.
Is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United States of America 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-education-programmes/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Education programmes, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
124 places, 1,810 data points, 1998–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release