School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in Iran
Iran: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) was 3.94 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Iran, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Iran recorded 3.94 million for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Iran peaked at 7.72 million in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.83 million, in 1970.
That places Iran 17th out of 220 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in Iran, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.83 million | — |
| 1971 | 1.91 million | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 2.08 million | +9.0% |
| 1973 | 2.17 million | +4.3% |
| 1974 | 2.26 million | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 2.33 million | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 2.39 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 2.43 million | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 3.26 million | +34.5% |
| 1979 | 3.32 million | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 3.40 million | +2.3% |
| 1981 | 3.49 million | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 3.68 million | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 3.79 million | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 3.90 million | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 3.99 million | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 4.07 million | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 4.14 million | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 4.20 million | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 4.28 million | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 4.39 million | +2.7% |
| 1991 | 4.60 million | +4.7% |
| 1992 | 4.85 million | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 5.13 million | +5.8% |
| 1994 | 5.40 million | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 5.79 million | +7.2% |
| 1996 | 6.17 million | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 6.59 million | +6.7% |
| 1998 | 6.96 million | +5.6% |
| 1999 | 7.28 million | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 7.54 million | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 7.67 million | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 7.72 million | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 7.63 million | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 7.55 million | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 7.41 million | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 7.18 million | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 6.86 million | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 6.49 million | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 6.08 million | -6.2% |
| 2010 | 5.70 million | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 5.37 million | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 5.10 million | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 4.88 million | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 4.73 million | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 4.63 million | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 3.44 million | -25.7% |
| 2017 | 3.42 million | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 3.40 million | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 3.41 million | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 3.44 million | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 3.51 million | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 3.64 million | +3.6% |
| 2023 | 3.76 million | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 3.86 million | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 3.94 million | +2.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 3.94 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 248,478, 15.9× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 3.94 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 601,861, 6.5× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +34.5% | 2.43 million | 3.26 million |
| 2016 | -25.7% | 4.63 million | 3.44 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.40 million | 1.83 million | 3.32 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.90 million | 3.40 million | 4.28 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.72 million | 4.39 million | 7.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.21 million | 6.08 million | 7.72 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.41 million | 3.40 million | 5.70 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.69 million | 3.44 million | 3.94 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More education data for Iran
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 406,399 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 108,066 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 519,698 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 505,053 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.62 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 9.09 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1003 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Iran?
- School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Iran was 3.94 million in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 7.72 million in 2002.
- What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.83 million in 1970.
- How does Iran rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
- Iran ranks 17th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release