School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in South Africa
South Africa: School age population, tertiary education, both sexes was 4.95 million number in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
4.95 million number
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
21st
of 203 countries
All-time high
5.36 million number
in 2009
All-time low
1.94 million number
in 1970
Years of data
48
1970–2018
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in South Africa, 1970–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 4.95 million number for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in 2018.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 5.36 million number in 2009 and was at its lowest, 1.94 million number, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 21st of 203 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.94 million number | — |
| 1971 | 2.05 million number | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 2.15 million number | +5.0% |
| 1973 | 2.24 million number | +4.2% |
| 1974 | 2.32 million number | +3.5% |
| 1975 | 2.38 million number | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 2.44 million number | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 2.50 million number | +2.3% |
| 1978 | 2.56 million number | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 2.63 million number | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 2.70 million number | +2.7% |
| 1981 | 2.78 million number | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 2.86 million number | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 2.93 million number | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 3.00 million number | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 3.08 million number | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 3.14 million number | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 3.21 million number | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 3.29 million number | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 3.38 million number | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 3.48 million number | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 3.60 million number | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 3.71 million number | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 3.82 million number | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 3.92 million number | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 4.00 million number | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 4.09 million number | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 4.10 million number | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 4.19 million number | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 4.31 million number | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 4.43 million number | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 4.58 million number | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 4.73 million number | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 4.87 million number | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 5.00 million number | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 5.11 million number | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 5.21 million number | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 5.29 million number | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 5.34 million number | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 5.36 million number | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 5.36 million number | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.31 million number | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 5.25 million number | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 5.20 million number | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 5.14 million number | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 5.04 million number | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 4.99 million number | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 4.95 million number | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.32 million number | 1.94 million number | 2.63 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.04 million number | 2.70 million number | 3.38 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.92 million number | 3.48 million number | 4.31 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.99 million number | 4.43 million number | 5.36 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.15 million number | 4.95 million number | 5.36 million number | 8 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.65 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes in South Africa?
- School age population, tertiary education, both sexes in South Africa was 4.95 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.36 million number in 2009.
- What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.94 million number in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school age population, tertiary education, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 21st out of 203 countries with data for 2018.
- Is school age population, tertiary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to tertiary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.