School enrollment, tertiary in China
China: School enrollment, tertiary was 76.9% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
School enrollment, tertiary in China, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, tertiary in China is 76.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 75.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, tertiary in China peaked at 76.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1970.
That places China 38th out of 192 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School enrollment, tertiary in China, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1% | — |
| 1973 | 0.2% | +60.3% |
| 1974 | 0.3% | +60.0% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | +38.0% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | +22.9% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | +13.0% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | +10.9% |
| 1979 | 1.0% | +45.9% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | +27.0% |
| 1981 | 2.0% | +59.3% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | -6.4% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +15.0% |
| 1986 | 2.8% | +26.7% |
| 1987 | 3.1% | +9.8% |
| 1988 | 3.1% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 3.0% | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 2.9% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 3.8% | +28.5% |
| 1995 | 4.7% | +23.6% |
| 1996 | 5.3% | +13.2% |
| 1997 | 5.8% | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 6.3% | +8.0% |
| 1999 | 6.6% | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 7.6% | +14.6% |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +22.5% |
| 2002 | 11.8% | +27.2% |
| 2003 | 14.5% | +22.9% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | +16.4% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | +10.4% |
| 2006 | 20.6% | +10.2% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | +4.4% |
| 2008 | 21.9% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 23.3% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 25.3% | +8.6% |
| 2011 | 26.8% | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 29.3% | +9.4% |
| 2013 | 32.7% | +11.6% |
| 2014 | 43.7% | +33.6% |
| 2015 | 47.1% | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 49.3% | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 51.1% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 53.4% | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 56.6% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 61.6% | +8.8% |
| 2021 | 66.8% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 71.6% | +7.1% |
| 2023 | 74.6% | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 76.9% | +3.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 76.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 46.6%, 1.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 76.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 46.1%, 1.7× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, tertiary 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +60.3% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1974 | +60.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 1981 | +59.3% | 1.3% | 2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 1.0% | 8 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 3.1% | 8 |
| 1990s | 4.4% | 2.8% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 7.6% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.5% | 25.3% | 56.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.3% | 61.6% | 76.9% | 5 |
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, tertiary in China?
- School enrollment, tertiary in China was 76.9% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, tertiary recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 76.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, tertiary recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1970.
- How does China rank for school enrollment, tertiary?
- China ranks 38th out of 192 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, tertiary rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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, tertiary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.