Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United States
United States: Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher was 49.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United States, 1995–2024
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 States is 49.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United States peaked at 49.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 30.4%, in 1995.
United States ranks 16th of 110 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 30.4% | — |
| 1996 | 31.0% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 31.5% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 32.3% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 33.2% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 33.8% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 34.4% | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 35.2% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 35.8% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 37.8% | +5.8% |
| 2017 | 44.7% | +18.0% |
| 2019 | 46.3% | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 47.9% | +3.4% |
| 2023 | 49.1% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 49.8% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 31.7% | 30.4% | 33.2% | 5 |
| 2000s | 35.4% | 33.8% | 37.8% | 5 |
| 2010s | 45.5% | 44.7% | 46.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 49.0% | 47.9% | 49.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 13 New Zealand 51.1% compare
- 14 Latvia 50.7% compare
- 15 South Africa 50.7% compare
- 17 Republic of Korea 49.6% compare
- 18 Estonia 49.5% compare
- 19 Israel 49.5% compare
More education data for United States
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 13.05 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 2.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 8.48 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 2.19 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 18.05 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 1.06 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.56 million (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 223,288 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 10.46 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1542 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United States?
- Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in United States was 49.8% 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 States?
- The highest recorded value was 49.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.4% in 1995.
- How does United States rank for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher?
- United States ranks 16th out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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.