Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America

United States of America: Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education was 67.3% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
67.3%
World rank
4th
of 49 countries
All-time high
73.6%
in 2012
All-time low
61.3%
in 2003
Years of data
7
2000–2022

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America, 2000–2022

0204060802000201120222000: 65.9 %2003: 61.3 %2009: 68.3 %2012: 73.6 %2015: 71.2 %2018: 69.6 %2022: 67.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2022, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America stood at 67.3%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America peaked at 73.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 61.3%, in 2003.

That places United States of America 4th out of 49 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, very poor socioeconomic background, both sexes (%) in United States of America, 2000 to 2022.
Year % Change
2000 65.9%
2003 61.3% -6.9%
2009 68.3% +11.5%
2012 73.6% +7.7%
2015 71.2% -3.3%
2018 69.6% -2.2%
2022 67.3% -3.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 65.2% 61.3% 68.3% 3
2010s 71.5% 69.6% 73.6% 3
2020s 67.3% 67.3% 67.3% 1

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 1 Hong Kong, China 77.1% compare
  2. 2 Ireland 74.2% compare
  3. 3 Singapore 72.0% compare
  4. 5 Russian Federation 66.8% compare
  5. 6 Korea 65.9% compare
  6. 7 Türkiye 64.3% compare

See the full ranking of 49 places →

More education data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America?
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America was 67.3% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 73.6% in 2012.
What is the lowest proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 61.3% in 2003.
How does United States of America rank for proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education?
United States of America ranks 4th out of 49 countries with data for 2022.
Is proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, very poor socioeconomic background, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-students-at-the-end-of-lower-secondary-education-achieving-at-least-a-48/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading, very poor socioeconomic background, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
49 places, 353 data points, 2000–2022
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release