School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China
China: School age population, tertiary education, both sexes was 87.41 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
87.41 million number
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
2nd
of 203 countries
All-time high
132.19 million number
in 1991
All-time low
84.72 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China is 87.41 million number, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China peaked at 132.19 million number in 1991 and was at its lowest, 84.72 million number, in 1970.
China ranks 2nd of 203 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 84.72 million number | — |
| 1971 | 90.01 million number | +6.2% |
| 1972 | 92.87 million number | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 93.86 million number | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 92.68 million number | -1.3% |
| 1975 | 90.36 million number | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 88.66 million number | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 88.62 million number | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 88.53 million number | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 88.63 million number | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 90.24 million number | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 93.32 million number | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 97.76 million number | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 102.60 million number | +4.9% |
| 1984 | 107.51 million number | +4.8% |
| 1985 | 112.70 million number | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 118.28 million number | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 123.47 million number | +4.4% |
| 1988 | 127.74 million number | +3.5% |
| 1989 | 130.56 million number | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 132.03 million number | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 132.19 million number | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 130.46 million number | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 128.04 million number | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 124.75 million number | -2.6% |
| 1995 | 120.25 million number | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 114.37 million number | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 108.91 million number | -4.8% |
| 1998 | 103.60 million number | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 99.55 million number | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 97.02 million number | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 96.01 million number | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 96.16 million number | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 98.28 million number | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 102.26 million number | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 107.93 million number | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 115.54 million number | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 123.51 million number | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 129.04 million number | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 130.53 million number | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 128.30 million number | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 122.07 million number | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 113.44 million number | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 105.11 million number | -7.3% |
| 2014 | 98.81 million number | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 94.19 million number | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 91.39 million number | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 89.92 million number | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 88.80 million number | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 87.41 million number | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 89.89 million number | 84.72 million number | 93.86 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 110.42 million number | 90.24 million number | 130.56 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 119.41 million number | 99.55 million number | 132.19 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 109.63 million number | 96.01 million number | 130.53 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 101.94 million number | 87.41 million number | 128.30 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.74 million (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 15.4% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 99.64 (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 99.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China?
- School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in China was 87.41 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 132.19 million number in 1991.
- What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.72 million number in 1970.
- How does China rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
- China ranks 2nd out of 203 countries with data for 2019.
- Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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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About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to tertiary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.