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 15.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
15.4%
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
17th
of 121 countries
All-time high
19.0%
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

051015202000201120232000: 10.7 %2001: 8.2 %2002: 8.3 %2003: 7.9 %2004: 12.1 %2005: 12.2 %2006: 12.2 %2007: 12.1 %2008: 11.9 %2009: 12.2 %2010: 12.2 %2011: 12.6 %2012: 12.7 %2013: 9.2 %2014: 9.8 %2015: 12.8 %2016: 13 %2019: 12.8 %2020: 19 %2021: 16.1 %2023: 15.4 %

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 15.4%.

That represents a change of down 4.9% on the previous year and up 67.6% 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 19.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2003.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 17th out of 121 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, female (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2000 to 2023.
Year % Change
2000 10.7%
2001 8.2% -23.7%
2002 8.3% +1.3%
2003 7.9% -5.2%
2004 12.1% +53.4%
2005 12.2% +0.9%
2006 12.2% +0.2%
2007 12.1% -1.1%
2008 11.9% -1.2%
2009 12.2% +2.4%
2010 12.2% +0.1%
2011 12.6% +2.9%
2012 12.7% +1.3%
2013 9.2% -28.0%
2014 9.8% +6.6%
2015 12.8% +31.4%
2016 13.0% +1.1%
2019 12.8% -1.1%
2020 19.0% +48.0%
2021 16.1% -14.9%
2023 15.4% -4.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.8% 7.9% 12.2% 10
2010s 11.9% 9.2% 13.0% 8
2020s 16.8% 15.4% 19.0% 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 14 Indonesia 16.4% compare
  2. 15 Samoa 16.4% compare
  3. 16 Egypt 15.7% compare
  4. 18 Israel 15.2% compare
  5. 19 United States of America 14.6% compare
  6. 20 Burkina Faso 14.1% compare

See the full ranking of 121 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 15.4% 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 19.0% 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 17th out of 121 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 67.6%. 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, female (%). 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 08 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-graduates-from-tertiary-education-graduating-from-social-sciences-3/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of graduates from tertiary education graduating from Social Sciences, Journalism and Information programmes, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
121 places, 1,684 data points, 1998–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release