Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher was 4.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Afghanistan, 1975–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 4.7% for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in 2021.
The figure is down 26.1% on the previous year and up 36.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Afghanistan peaked at 6.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1975.
Afghanistan ranks 105th of 110 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1.7% | — |
| 1979 | 3.0% | +78.7% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | +13.6% |
| 2017 | 5.3% | +52.5% |
| 2020 | 6.4% | +21.1% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | -26.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.4% | 1.7% | 3.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 3.5% | 5.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 5.5% | 4.7% | 6.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 5.48 % change on previous year (2004)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 67,949 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 95,218 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 115,568 (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.48 % change on previous year (2004)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 315,412 (2020)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 5.48 % change on previous year (2004)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Afghanistan?
- Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Afghanistan was 4.7% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1975.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher?
- Afghanistan ranks 105th out of 110 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 36.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of adults aged 25 and older who have completed post-secondary or tertiary education.