Share of the population with tertiary education in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Share of the population with tertiary education was 3.5% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with tertiary education in Bangladesh, 1870–2020
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of the population with tertiary education in Bangladesh stood at 3.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with tertiary education in Bangladesh peaked at 4.9% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1870.
Bangladesh ranks 93rd of 111 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population with tertiary education in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.0% | — |
| 1875 | 0.0% | — |
| 1880 | 0.0% | — |
| 1885 | 0.0% | — |
| 1890 | 0.0% | — |
| 1895 | 0.0% | — |
| 1900 | 0.0% | — |
| 1905 | 0.0% | — |
| 1910 | 0.1% | — |
| 1915 | 0.1% | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.2% | +100.0% |
| 1925 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 1940 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.3% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.4% | +33.3% |
| 1970 | 0.6% | +50.0% |
| 1975 | 0.9% | +50.0% |
| 1980 | 1.4% | +55.6% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | +28.6% |
| 1990 | 2.5% | +38.9% |
| 1995 | 3.5% | +40.0% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | +28.6% |
| 2005 | 4.6% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 4.9% | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 3.5% | -28.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.9% | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.5% | 3.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.8% | 4.7% | 4.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
More education data for Bangladesh
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.7423 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 252,704 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 130,920 (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.81 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -0.1782 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 2.14 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -1.22 % 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 tertiary education in Bangladesh?
- Share of the population with tertiary education in Bangladesh was 3.5% in 2020, according to Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with tertiary education recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 4.9% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of the population with tertiary education recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1870.
- How does Bangladesh rank for share of the population with tertiary education?
- Bangladesh ranks 93rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with tertiary education rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the population aged 25 to 65 years who have either completed or partially completed tertiary education.