Share of the population with lower secondary education in Spain
Spain: Share of the population with lower secondary education was 84.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with lower secondary education in Spain, 1970–2023
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 lower secondary education in Spain is 84.3%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with lower secondary education in Spain peaked at 84.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.4%, in 1970.
Spain ranks 57th of 135 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Share of the population with lower secondary education in Spain, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.4% | — |
| 1981 | 20.4% | +117.0% |
| 1986 | 24.6% | +20.5% |
| 1991 | 34.2% | +38.9% |
| 2004 | 59.3% | +73.5% |
| 2005 | 62.5% | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 63.8% | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 64.7% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 65.6% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 66.5% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 67.4% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 68.8% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 69.9% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 72.4% | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 73.7% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 74.8% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 75.8% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 79.2% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 77.7% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 81.0% | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 83.3% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 83.9% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 84.3% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 1 |
| 1980s | 22.5% | 20.4% | 24.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 34.2% | 34.2% | 34.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 63.7% | 59.3% | 66.5% | 6 |
| 2010s | 74.1% | 67.4% | 81.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.1% | 80.8% | 84.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More education data for Spain
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 3.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 193,014 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 55,239 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 3 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 1.10 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 3.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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 lower secondary education in Spain?
- Share of the population with lower secondary education in Spain was 84.3% 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 84.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of the population with lower secondary education recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.4% in 1970.
- How does Spain rank for share of the population with lower secondary education?
- Spain ranks 57th out of 135 countries with data for 2023.
- Is share of the population with lower secondary education rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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.