Secondary education, pupils in North America
North America: Secondary education, pupils was 28.14 million in 2024. ▲ Rising
Secondary education, pupils in North America, 1970–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for secondary education, pupils in North America is 28.14 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, secondary education, pupils in North America peaked at 28.14 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.53 million, in 1990.
North America ranks 39th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Secondary education, pupils in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 25.12 million | — |
| 1971 | 23.12 million | -7.9% |
| 1972 | 23.75 million | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 25.19 million | +6.1% |
| 1974 | 24.17 million | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 24.26 million | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 24.27 million | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 24.21 million | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 23.94 million | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 22.04 million | -8.0% |
| 1980 | 24.69 million | +12.1% |
| 1981 | 23.91 million | -3.2% |
| 1982 | 24.17 million | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 23.70 million | -2.0% |
| 1984 | 23.70 million | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 23.04 million | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 22.89 million | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 22.68 million | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 24.84 million | +9.5% |
| 1989 | 24.85 million | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 21.53 million | -13.3% |
| 1991 | 21.57 million | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 24.93 million | +15.6% |
| 1993 | 22.92 million | -8.1% |
| 1994 | 23.51 million | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 23.60 million | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 23.98 million | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 25.12 million | +4.7% |
| 1998 | 24.81 million | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 24.96 million | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 25.12 million | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 25.39 million | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 25.75 million | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 26.35 million | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 26.77 million | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 27.03 million | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 27.19 million | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 27.34 million | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 27.37 million | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 27.19 million | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 26.97 million | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 26.73 million | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 26.78 million | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 26.80 million | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 26.89 million | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 27.06 million | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 27.35 million | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 27.44 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 27.53 million | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 27.68 million | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 27.87 million | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 28.12 million | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 27.92 million | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 28.05 million | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 28.14 million | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.01 million | 22.04 million | 25.19 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.85 million | 22.68 million | 24.85 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.69 million | 21.53 million | 25.12 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.55 million | 25.12 million | 27.37 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.12 million | 26.73 million | 27.68 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.02 million | 27.87 million | 28.14 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near North America
More education data for North America
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 26.20 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0687 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 28.14 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 16.9% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is secondary education, pupils in North America?
- Secondary education, pupils in North America was 28.14 million in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest secondary education, pupils recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 28.14 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest secondary education, pupils recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.53 million in 1990.
- How does North America rank for secondary education, pupils?
- North America ranks 39th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is secondary education, pupils rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North America 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.