School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in China
China: School enrollment, secondary (% gross) was 92.3% in 2012. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, secondary in China, 1970–2012
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
China recorded 92.3% for school enrollment, secondary in 2012. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 46.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, secondary in China peaked at 92.3% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 25.7%, in 1970.
That places China 94th out of 203 countries with data for 2012, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in China, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 25.7% | — |
| 1971 | 34.3% | +33.7% |
| 1972 | 43.9% | +27.8% |
| 1973 | 53.9% | +22.7% |
| 1974 | 58.2% | +8.2% |
| 1975 | 57.6% | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 58.1% | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 57.2% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 53.2% | -6.9% |
| 1979 | 47.6% | -10.6% |
| 1980 | 40.3% | -15.4% |
| 1981 | 36.7% | -8.9% |
| 1982 | 32.6% | -11.1% |
| 1983 | 30.1% | -7.6% |
| 1984 | 29.9% | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 31.3% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 32.6% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 35.1% | +7.7% |
| 1988 | 37.2% | +5.9% |
| 1989 | 38.2% | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 39.0% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 41.6% | +6.6% |
| 1992 | 44.4% | +6.9% |
| 1993 | 46.8% | +5.2% |
| 1994 | 47.2% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 49.0% | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 52.3% | +6.8% |
| 1997 | 54.7% | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 58.6% | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 59.5% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 62.2% | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 62.8% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 64.1% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 74.1% | +15.6% |
| 2007 | 78.2% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 82.7% | +5.8% |
| 2009 | 88.3% | +6.8% |
| 2010 | 90.8% | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 92.0% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 92.3% | +0.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 92.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 91.7%, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 92.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 92.3%, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, secondary (% gross) in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | +33.7% | 25.7% | 34.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 49.0% | 25.7% | 58.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 34.4% | 29.9% | 40.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.2% | 39.0% | 58.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 71.5% | 59.5% | 88.3% | 8 |
| 2010s | 91.7% | 90.8% | 92.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, secondary in China?
- School enrollment, secondary in China was 92.3% in 2012, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, secondary recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 92.3% in 2012.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, secondary recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.7% in 1970.
- How does China rank for school enrollment, secondary?
- China ranks 94th out of 203 countries with data for 2012.
- Is school enrollment, secondary rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, secondary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Secondary education completes the provision of basic education that began at the primary level, and aims at laying the foundations for lifelong learning and human development, by offering more subject- or skill-oriented instruction using more specialized teachers.