Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada
Canada: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 51.3 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada stood at 51.3.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada peaked at 52.2 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
That places Canada 6th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0.3 | — |
| 1895 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 1900 | 1.4 | +250.0% |
| 1905 | 2.4 | +71.4% |
| 1910 | 3.2 | +33.3% |
| 1915 | 4.2 | +31.2% |
| 1920 | 5 | +19.0% |
| 1925 | 5.9 | +18.0% |
| 1930 | 6.6 | +11.9% |
| 1935 | 7.6 | +15.2% |
| 1940 | 8.2 | +7.9% |
| 1945 | 8.8 | +7.3% |
| 1950 | 9.3 | +5.7% |
| 1955 | 11.7 | +25.8% |
| 1960 | 14 | +19.7% |
| 1965 | 14.7 | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 17.5 | +19.0% |
| 1975 | 22.7 | +29.7% |
| 1980 | 28 | +23.3% |
| 1985 | 21.4 | -23.6% |
| 1990 | 23.7 | +10.7% |
| 1995 | 26.8 | +13.1% |
| 2000 | 30.3 | +13.1% |
| 2005 | 48.5 | +60.1% |
| 2010 | 52.2 | +7.6% |
| 2015 | 51.5 | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 51.3 | -0.4% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 51.3 is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.6, 1.7× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | +250.0% | 0.4 | 1.4 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 1900s | 1.9 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2 |
| 1910s | 3.7 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 2 |
| 1920s | 5.45 | 5 | 5.9 | 2 |
| 1930s | 7.1 | 6.6 | 7.6 | 2 |
| 1940s | 8.5 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 2 |
| 1950s | 10.5 | 9.3 | 11.7 | 2 |
| 1960s | 14.35 | 14 | 14.7 | 2 |
| 1970s | 20.1 | 17.5 | 22.7 | 2 |
| 1980s | 24.7 | 21.4 | 28 | 2 |
| 1990s | 25.25 | 23.7 | 26.8 | 2 |
| 2000s | 39.4 | 30.3 | 48.5 | 2 |
| 2010s | 51.85 | 51.5 | 52.2 | 2 |
| 2020s | 51.3 | 51.3 | 51.3 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 95.11 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 95.01 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Canada was 51.3 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 52.2 in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Canada rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Canada ranks 6th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada 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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