Share of the population with lower secondary education in France
France: Share of the population with lower secondary education was 91.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with lower secondary education in France, 1990–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
France recorded 91.6% for share of the population with lower secondary education in 2023. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with lower secondary education in France peaked at 91.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 48.4%, in 1990.
France ranks 40th of 135 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Share of the population with lower secondary education in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 48.4% | — |
| 2004 | 74.1% | +53.3% |
| 2005 | 74.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 76.9% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 77.9% | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 78.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 79.2% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 79.8% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 80.5% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 81.5% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 82.6% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 83.7% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 84.2% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 84.9% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 85.6% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 86.5% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 90.7% | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 91.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 91.6% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 48.4% | 48.4% | 48.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 76.3% | 74.1% | 78.0% | 5 |
| 2010s | 82.5% | 79.2% | 85.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.0% | 86.5% | 91.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 37 Samoa 92.3% compare
- 38 Finland 91.7% compare
- 39 Israel 91.6% compare
- 41 Cook Islands 90.9% compare
- 42 Luxembourg 90.7% compare
- 43 Netherlands 90.3% compare
More education data for France
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.27 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.2218 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 229,471 (2013)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -1.63 % change on previous year (2013)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 3.07 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.3427 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 3.20 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.1059 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.33 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -1.18 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with lower secondary education in France?
- Share of the population with lower secondary education in France was 91.6% 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 lower secondary education recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 91.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of the population with lower secondary education recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.4% in 1990.
- How does France rank for share of the population with lower secondary education?
- France ranks 40th out of 135 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of the population with lower secondary education rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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 lower secondary education. 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 lower secondary education or higher.