Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States
United States: Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from was 2.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States, 1999–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States is 2.9%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 3.3% on the previous year and down 52.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States peaked at 6.1% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1999.
United States ranks 57th of 122 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1.8% | — |
| 2013 | 6.1% | +242.3% |
| 2014 | 6.1% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 5.8% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 5.3% | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 3.0% | -40.5% |
| 2023 | 2.9% | -3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 2010s | 5.8% | 5.3% | 6.1% | 5 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 2.9% | 5.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
More education data for United States
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.06 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.56 million (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 223,288 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 10.46 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1542 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 7.59 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.34 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States?
- Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from in United States was 2.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 2013.
- What is the lowest percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1999.
- How does United States rank for percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from?
- United States ranks 57th out of 122 countries with data for 2023.
- Is percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Services programmes, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release