School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World

SDG: World: School age population, tertiary education, both sexes was 615.77 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
615.77 million
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
1st
of 221 groups
All-time high
615.77 million
in 2024
All-time low
407.24 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World, 1970–2024

0200.0M400.0M600.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World is 615.77 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World peaked at 615.77 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 407.24 million, in 1970.

That places SDG: World 1st out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.

School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World, year by year

Annual values for School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number) in SDG: World, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 407.24 million
1971 414.67 million +1.8%
1972 420.49 million +1.4%
1973 425.56 million +1.2%
1974 430.25 million +1.1%
1975 433.21 million +0.7%
1976 431.33 million -0.4%
1977 434.64 million +0.8%
1978 437.77 million +0.7%
1979 435.74 million -0.5%
1980 433.83 million -0.4%
1981 439.12 million +1.2%
1982 452.67 million +3.1%
1983 466.84 million +3.1%
1984 481.25 million +3.1%
1985 496.01 million +3.1%
1986 500.67 million +0.9%
1987 503.29 million +0.5%
1988 508.19 million +1.0%
1989 513.84 million +1.1%
1990 518.78 million +1.0%
1991 524.17 million +1.0%
1992 525.14 million +0.2%
1993 524.98 million -0.0%
1994 521.70 million -0.6%
1995 519.97 million -0.3%
1996 517.44 million -0.5%
1997 515.83 million -0.3%
1998 517.58 million +0.3%
1999 522.45 million +0.9%
2000 528.81 million +1.2%
2001 542.81 million +2.6%
2002 552.72 million +1.8%
2003 561.89 million +1.7%
2004 570.87 million +1.6%
2005 580.06 million +1.6%
2006 588.46 million +1.4%
2007 597.64 million +1.6%
2008 606.47 million +1.5%
2009 614.49 million +1.3%
2010 615.28 million +0.1%
2011 614.00 million -0.2%
2012 610.98 million -0.5%
2013 606.49 million -0.7%
2014 599.43 million -1.2%
2015 596.88 million -0.4%
2016 595.94 million -0.2%
2017 595.39 million -0.1%
2018 596.10 million +0.1%
2019 598.90 million +0.5%
2020 601.43 million +0.4%
2021 604.46 million +0.5%
2022 609.47 million +0.8%
2023 613.43 million +0.7%
2024 615.77 million +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 427.09 million 407.24 million 437.77 million 10
1980s 479.57 million 433.83 million 513.84 million 10
1990s 520.81 million 515.83 million 525.14 million 10
2000s 574.42 million 528.81 million 614.49 million 10
2010s 602.94 million 595.39 million 615.28 million 10
2020s 608.91 million 601.43 million 615.77 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: World

  1. 1 India 127.45 million compare
  2. 2 China 79.22 million compare
  3. 3 Pakistan 25.17 million compare
  4. 4 Nigeria 24.05 million compare

See the full ranking of 442 places →

More education data for SDG: World

All data for SDG: World →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World?
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World was 615.77 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: World?
The highest recorded value was 615.77 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in SDG: World?
The lowest recorded value was 407.24 million in 1970.
How does SDG: World rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
SDG: World ranks 1st out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: World?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: World data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in SDG: World. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-tertiary-education-both-sexes-number-2/sdg-world/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes (number)
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
442 places, 20,404 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release