Secondary education, pupils in China
China: Secondary education, pupils was 97.98 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
97.98 million
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
2nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
101.83 million
in 2007
All-time low
20.25 million
in 1970
Years of data
52
1970–2024
Secondary education, pupils in China, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
China recorded 97.98 million for secondary education, pupils in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, secondary education, pupils in China peaked at 101.83 million in 2007 and was at its lowest, 20.25 million, in 1970.
That places China 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Secondary education, pupils in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 20.25 million | — |
| 1971 | 26.48 million | +30.8% |
| 1972 | 31.49 million | +18.9% |
| 1973 | 36.17 million | +14.8% |
| 1974 | 34.95 million | -3.4% |
| 1975 | 37.14 million | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 45.37 million | +22.2% |
| 1977 | 59.06 million | +30.2% |
| 1978 | 68.49 million | +16.0% |
| 1979 | 66.37 million | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 60.25 million | -9.2% |
| 1981 | 56.78 million | -5.8% |
| 1982 | 50.15 million | -11.7% |
| 1983 | 47.03 million | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 46.87 million | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 49.24 million | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 51.66 million | +4.9% |
| 1987 | 54.11 million | +4.7% |
| 1988 | 55.06 million | +1.8% |
| 1989 | 53.62 million | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 51.80 million | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 52.39 million | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 53.69 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 55.10 million | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 55.55 million | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 58.94 million | +6.1% |
| 1996 | 63.80 million | +8.2% |
| 1997 | 68.28 million | +7.0% |
| 1999 | 77.44 million | +13.4% |
| 2000 | 81.49 million | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 86.52 million | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 90.72 million | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 95.62 million | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 101.19 million | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 101.83 million | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 101.45 million | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 100.39 million | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 99.22 million | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 97.45 million | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 95.00 million | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 93.69 million | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 88.21 million | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 85.66 million | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 83.62 million | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 83.13 million | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 84.19 million | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 85.95 million | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 88.31 million | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 90.87 million | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 93.74 million | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 96.32 million | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 97.98 million | +1.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 97.98 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 524,692, 186.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 97.98 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 162,113, 604.4× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42.58 million | 20.25 million | 68.49 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 52.48 million | 46.87 million | 60.25 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 59.66 million | 51.80 million | 77.44 million | 9 |
| 2000s | 94.90 million | 81.49 million | 101.83 million | 8 |
| 2010s | 89.61 million | 83.13 million | 99.22 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 93.44 million | 88.31 million | 97.98 million | 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 secondary education, pupils in China?
- Secondary education, pupils in China was 97.98 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest secondary education, pupils recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 101.83 million in 2007.
- What is the lowest secondary education, pupils recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.25 million in 1970.
- How does China rank for secondary education, pupils?
- China ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is secondary education, pupils rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. 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 Secondary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.