School enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia
Malaysia: School enrollment, tertiary was 38.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
School enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia, 1979–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia is 38.5%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia peaked at 45.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 1979.
Malaysia ranks 101st of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 4.0% | — |
| 1980 | 4.2% | +6.0% |
| 1982 | 4.6% | +9.2% |
| 1983 | 4.6% | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 5.1% | +10.7% |
| 1985 | 6.0% | +18.0% |
| 1986 | 6.9% | +16.1% |
| 1987 | 7.5% | +8.0% |
| 1988 | 7.5% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 6.7% | -10.9% |
| 1990 | 7.3% | +9.0% |
| 1991 | 8.1% | +11.1% |
| 1992 | 9.2% | +13.7% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 10.4% | +9.9% |
| 1995 | 11.3% | +8.3% |
| 1998 | 22.9% | +103.6% |
| 1999 | 24.2% | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 27.6% | +13.9% |
| 2001 | 27.0% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 28.9% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 31.3% | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 29.8% | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 27.1% | -8.9% |
| 2006 | 27.7% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | +6.2% |
| 2008 | 32.9% | +12.0% |
| 2009 | 35.1% | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 36.7% | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 35.6% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 36.8% | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 38.1% | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 38.4% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 44.3% | +15.4% |
| 2016 | 45.4% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 42.3% | -6.9% |
| 2018 | 43.3% | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 40.8% | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 39.7% | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 38.2% | -3.9% |
| 2022 | 37.0% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 37.3% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 38.5% | +3.3% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 38.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 46.6%, 83% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 38.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 46.1%, 83% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +103.6% | 11.3% | 22.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1980s | 5.9% | 4.2% | 7.5% | 9 |
| 1990s | 12.8% | 7.3% | 24.2% | 8 |
| 2000s | 29.7% | 27.0% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.2% | 35.6% | 45.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.1% | 37.0% | 39.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 98 Oman 42.2% compare
- 99 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 41.5% compare
- 100 Azerbaijan 41.3% compare
- 102 Tunisia 38.1% compare
- 103 Egypt 38.0% compare
- 104 Marshall Islands 37.7% compare
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia?
- School enrollment, tertiary in Malaysia was 38.5% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, tertiary recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, tertiary recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 1979.
- How does Malaysia rank for school enrollment, tertiary?
- Malaysia ranks 101st out of 192 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school enrollment, tertiary rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.