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 13.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
13.1%
Change on year
down 6.2%
World rank
19th
of 124 countries
All-time high
16.1%
in 2020
All-time low
7.9%
in 2003
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

0510152000201120232000: 9.7 %2001: 8 %2002: 8.2 %2003: 7.9 %2004: 11.2 %2005: 11.4 %2006: 11.5 %2007: 11.3 %2008: 11.1 %2009: 11.2 %2010: 11.1 %2011: 11.5 %2012: 11.7 %2013: 9.3 %2014: 9.9 %2015: 11.8 %2016: 11.9 %2019: 11.8 %2020: 16.1 %2021: 13.9 %2023: 13.1 %

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 13.1%.

That represents a change of down 6.2% on the previous year and up 40.3% 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 16.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2003.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 19th out of 124 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising 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 Social Sciences, Journalism and Information programmes, both sexes (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 9.7%
2001 8.0% -17.9%
2002 8.2% +2.5%
2003 7.9% -3.3%
2004 11.2% +41.9%
2005 11.4% +1.9%
2006 11.5% +0.5%
2007 11.3% -1.1%
2008 11.1% -1.8%
2009 11.2% +0.8%
2010 11.1% -0.8%
2011 11.5% +2.9%
2012 11.7% +2.1%
2013 9.3% -20.3%
2014 9.9% +6.0%
2015 11.8% +19.7%
2016 11.9% +0.6%
2019 11.8% -0.6%
2020 16.1% +36.3%
2021 13.9% -13.5%
2023 13.1% -6.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.1% 7.9% 11.5% 10
2010s 11.1% 9.3% 11.9% 8
2020s 14.4% 13.1% 16.1% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 16 Georgia 13.9% compare
  2. 17 Cambodia 13.5% compare
  3. 18 Dominican Republic 13.1% compare
  4. 20 Burkina Faso 13.0% compare
  5. 21 United States of America 12.9% compare
  6. 22 Norway 12.3% compare

See the full ranking of 124 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 13.1% 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 16.1% in 2020.
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 7.9% in 2003.
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 19th out of 124 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 up 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
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 Social Sciences, Journalism and Information 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 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-social-sciences-2/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Social Sciences, Journalism and Information programmes, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
124 places, 1,751 data points, 1998–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release