Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher was 57.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United Arab Emirates, 1975–2024
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 United Arab Emirates is 57.0%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.3% on the previous year and up 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United Arab Emirates peaked at 59.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 1975.
That places United Arab Emirates 6th out of 110 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 6.0% | — |
| 2005 | 22.6% | +275.5% |
| 2016 | 43.5% | +92.5% |
| 2017 | 52.6% | +20.9% |
| 2018 | 55.5% | +5.5% |
| 2019 | 54.1% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 55.2% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 56.4% | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 59.0% | +4.6% |
| 2024 | 57.0% | -3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 22.6% | 22.6% | 22.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 51.4% | 43.5% | 55.5% | 4 |
| 2020s | 56.9% | 55.2% | 59.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More education data for United Arab Emirates
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 463,999 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 6.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 244,466 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 367,651 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 8.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 30,531 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 9,204 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 185,568 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 7.66 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United Arab Emirates?
- Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United Arab Emirates was 57.0% in 2024, 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 59.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 1975.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 6th out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.