Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher was 8.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh, 1974–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh is 8.1%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 54.7% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh peaked at 17.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1974.
That places Bangladesh 96th out of 110 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.9% | — |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +48.0% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +230.5% |
| 2011 | 10.2% | +143.4% |
| 2012 | 10.5% | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 9.4% | -10.4% |
| 2014 | 10.3% | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 14.0% | +36.0% |
| 2016 | 14.3% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | +4.0% |
| 2018 | 15.6% | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 16.2% | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 17.8% | +10.0% |
| 2023 | 8.1% | -54.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 2010s | 12.8% | 9.4% | 16.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | 12.9% | 8.1% | 17.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More education data for Bangladesh
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 7.10 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -4.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 3.50 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 0.9278 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.95 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.7423 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 252,704 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 130,920 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -0.1782 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh?
- Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Bangladesh was 8.1% in 2023, 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 Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1974.
- How does Bangladesh rank for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher?
- Bangladesh ranks 96th out of 110 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bangladesh 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.