Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 8 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
8
World rank
72nd
of 111 countries
All-time high
8.8
in 2010
All-time low
0
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan is 8, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan peaked at 8.8 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
Afghanistan ranks 72nd of 111 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0 | — |
| 1895 | 0 | — |
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0.1 | — |
| 1920 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1945 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1950 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.5 | +66.7% |
| 1960 | 0.6 | +20.0% |
| 1965 | 0.9 | +50.0% |
| 1970 | 1.2 | +33.3% |
| 1975 | 2.5 | +108.3% |
| 1980 | 3.6 | +44.0% |
| 1985 | 4.8 | +33.3% |
| 1990 | 6 | +25.0% |
| 1995 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 2000 | 7.9 | +12.9% |
| 2005 | 8.5 | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 8.8 | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 8.8 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8 | -9.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.05 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.25 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.85 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 1980s | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 2 |
| 1990s | 6.5 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.2 | 7.9 | 8.5 | 2 |
| 2010s | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 2 |
| 2020s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 163,167 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 1 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 6 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 55.0% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 42.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Afghanistan was 8 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.8 in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Afghanistan ranks 72nd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with completed tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).