Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Australia
Australia: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 30.2 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Australia, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 30.2 for share of the population with completed tertiary education in 2020.
The figure is down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Australia peaked at 37.9 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
That places Australia 25th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0.1 | — |
| 1890 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1905 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1910 | 0.5 | +66.7% |
| 1915 | 1.9 | +280.0% |
| 1920 | 3.2 | +68.4% |
| 1925 | 4.3 | +34.4% |
| 1930 | 5.7 | +32.6% |
| 1935 | 7.1 | +24.6% |
| 1940 | 8.4 | +18.3% |
| 1945 | 9.6 | +14.3% |
| 1950 | 11 | +14.6% |
| 1955 | 11.9 | +8.2% |
| 1960 | 12.9 | +8.4% |
| 1965 | 13.8 | +7.0% |
| 1970 | 23.2 | +68.1% |
| 1975 | 20.6 | -11.2% |
| 1980 | 22.5 | +9.2% |
| 1985 | 25.7 | +14.2% |
| 1990 | 27.8 | +8.2% |
| 1995 | 29.1 | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 26.9 | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 32.6 | +21.2% |
| 2010 | 37.9 | +16.3% |
| 2015 | 33.7 | -11.1% |
| 2020 | 30.2 | -10.4% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 30.2 is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.6, 99% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Australia's 30.2 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.3, 1.2× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | +280.0% | 0.5 | 1.9 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.05 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.25 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.2 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2 |
| 1920s | 3.75 | 3.2 | 4.3 | 2 |
| 1930s | 6.4 | 5.7 | 7.1 | 2 |
| 1940s | 9 | 8.4 | 9.6 | 2 |
| 1950s | 11.45 | 11 | 11.9 | 2 |
| 1960s | 13.35 | 12.9 | 13.8 | 2 |
| 1970s | 21.9 | 20.6 | 23.2 | 2 |
| 1980s | 24.1 | 22.5 | 25.7 | 2 |
| 1990s | 28.45 | 27.8 | 29.1 | 2 |
| 2000s | 29.75 | 26.9 | 32.6 | 2 |
| 2010s | 35.8 | 33.7 | 37.9 | 2 |
| 2020s | 30.2 | 30.2 | 30.2 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More education data for Australia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.9 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.88 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 104,110 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 316,638 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 292,593 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.65 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4362 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Australia?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Australia was 30.2 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 37.9 in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Australia rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Australia ranks 25th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia 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.
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