School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

SDG: Sub-saharan Africa: School age population, tertiary education, female was 57.88 million in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
57.88 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
Rank
55th
of 221 groups
All-time high
57.88 million
in 2024
All-time low
12.62 million
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2024

School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970–2024

10.0M20.0M30.0M40.0M50.0M60.0M197019972024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa is 57.88 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.

The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 29.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 57.88 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.62 million, in 1970.

That places SDG: Sub-saharan Africa 55th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

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

School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for School age population, tertiary education, female (number) in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1970 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1970 12.62 million
1971 12.88 million +2.1%
1972 13.17 million +2.2%
1973 13.52 million +2.6%
1974 13.92 million +3.0%
1975 14.35 million +3.1%
1976 14.77 million +2.9%
1977 15.22 million +3.0%
1978 15.68 million +3.0%
1979 16.22 million +3.4%
1980 16.74 million +3.2%
1981 17.24 million +3.0%
1982 17.79 million +3.2%
1983 18.39 million +3.4%
1984 18.92 million +2.9%
1985 19.50 million +3.1%
1986 20.14 million +3.3%
1987 20.73 million +2.9%
1988 21.36 million +3.0%
1989 22.07 million +3.3%
1990 22.76 million +3.2%
1991 23.45 million +3.0%
1992 24.16 million +3.0%
1993 24.93 million +3.2%
1994 25.47 million +2.2%
1995 26.63 million +4.5%
1996 27.45 million +3.1%
1997 28.26 million +2.9%
1998 29.11 million +3.0%
1999 30.02 million +3.1%
2000 30.89 million +2.9%
2001 31.76 million +2.8%
2002 32.67 million +2.9%
2003 33.57 million +2.8%
2004 34.55 million +2.9%
2005 35.56 million +2.9%
2006 36.57 million +2.8%
2007 37.51 million +2.6%
2008 38.48 million +2.6%
2009 39.46 million +2.5%
2010 40.45 million +2.5%
2011 41.46 million +2.5%
2012 42.49 million +2.5%
2013 43.66 million +2.7%
2014 44.72 million +2.4%
2015 45.84 million +2.5%
2016 47.03 million +2.6%
2017 48.21 million +2.5%
2018 49.53 million +2.7%
2019 51.00 million +3.0%
2020 52.48 million +2.9%
2021 54.09 million +3.1%
2022 55.73 million +3.0%
2023 57.34 million +2.9%
2024 57.88 million +1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 14.23 million 12.62 million 16.22 million 10
1980s 19.29 million 16.74 million 22.07 million 10
1990s 26.22 million 22.76 million 30.02 million 10
2000s 35.10 million 30.89 million 39.46 million 10
2010s 45.44 million 40.45 million 51.00 million 10
2020s 55.50 million 52.48 million 57.88 million 5

Countries ranked near SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 52 Malawi 1.18 million compare
  2. 53 Mali 1.17 million compare
  3. 54 South Korea 1.17 million compare
  4. 55 Burkina Faso 1.15 million compare
  5. 56 Saudi Arabia 1.15 million compare
  6. 57 Zambia 1.06 million compare
  7. 58 Ukraine 972,410 compare

See the full ranking of 442 places →

More education data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for SDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 57.88 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, tertiary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 57.88 million in 2024.
What is the lowest school age population, tertiary education, female recorded in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 12.62 million in 1970.
How does SDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for school age population, tertiary education, female?
SDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 55th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
Is school age population, tertiary education, female rising or falling in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 29.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this SDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, tertiary education, female (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, tertiary education, female in SDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-tertiary-education-female-number-2/sdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, tertiary education, female (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