School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members

OECD members: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 52.68 million number in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
52.68 million number
Change on year
down 0.1%
Rank
21st
of 43 groups
All-time high
58.56 million number
in 1981
All-time low
51.68 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members, 1970–2019

020.0M40.0M60.0M197019942019

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members is 52.68 million number, measured in 2019.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 5.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members peaked at 58.56 million number in 1981 and was at its lowest, 51.68 million number, in 1970.

OECD members ranks 21st of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members, year by year

Annual values for School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in OECD members, 1970 to 2019.
Year number Change
1970 51.68 million number
1971 53.06 million number +2.7%
1972 53.81 million number +1.4%
1973 54.53 million number +1.3%
1974 55.17 million number +1.2%
1975 55.77 million number +1.1%
1976 56.38 million number +1.1%
1977 56.94 million number +1.0%
1978 56.93 million number -0.0%
1979 57.98 million number +1.8%
1980 58.29 million number +0.5%
1981 58.56 million number +0.5%
1982 58.40 million number -0.3%
1983 58.15 million number -0.4%
1984 57.93 million number -0.4%
1985 57.80 million number -0.2%
1986 57.75 million number -0.1%
1987 57.71 million number -0.1%
1988 57.12 million number -1.0%
1989 57.50 million number +0.7%
1990 57.28 million number -0.4%
1991 56.80 million number -0.8%
1992 56.15 million number -1.2%
1993 55.43 million number -1.3%
1994 55.00 million number -0.8%
1995 54.75 million number -0.5%
1996 54.68 million number -0.1%
1997 54.21 million number -0.9%
1998 54.77 million number +1.0%
1999 54.31 million number -0.9%
2000 54.08 million number -0.4%
2001 53.91 million number -0.3%
2002 53.21 million number -1.3%
2003 53.17 million number -0.1%
2004 53.52 million number +0.7%
2005 53.59 million number +0.1%
2006 53.92 million number +0.6%
2007 54.26 million number +0.6%
2008 54.41 million number +0.3%
2009 55.43 million number +1.9%
2010 55.07 million number -0.7%
2011 54.58 million number -0.9%
2012 53.75 million number -1.5%
2013 53.83 million number +0.1%
2014 53.52 million number -0.6%
2015 53.27 million number -0.5%
2016 53.14 million number -0.2%
2017 52.99 million number -0.3%
2018 52.76 million number -0.4%
2019 52.68 million number -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 55.22 million number 51.68 million number 57.98 million number 10
1980s 57.92 million number 57.12 million number 58.56 million number 10
1990s 55.34 million number 54.21 million number 57.28 million number 10
2000s 53.95 million number 53.17 million number 55.43 million number 10
2010s 53.56 million number 52.68 million number 55.07 million number 10

Countries ranked near OECD members

  1. 18 South Africa 2.93 million number compare
  2. 19 United Kingdom 2.91 million number compare
  3. 20 Sudan 2.89 million number compare
  4. 21 Italy 2.87 million number compare
  5. 22 Russia 2.79 million number compare
  6. 23 Afghanistan 2.78 million number compare
  7. 24 Thailand 2.62 million number compare

See the full ranking of 250 places →

More education data for OECD members

All data for OECD members →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members?
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members was 52.68 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in OECD members?
The highest recorded value was 58.56 million number in 1981.
What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in OECD members?
The lowest recorded value was 51.68 million number in 1970.
How does OECD members rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
OECD members ranks 21st out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in OECD members?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this OECD members 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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School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in OECD members. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number/oecd-members/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 12,264 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to upper secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.