Share of the population with completed tertiary education in China
China: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 8.7 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
8.7
World rank
69th
of 111 countries
All-time high
8.7
in 2020
All-time low
0
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in China, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with completed tertiary education in China is 8.7, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 123.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in China peaked at 8.7 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
China ranks 69th 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 China, 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 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0.1 | — |
| 1940 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1955 | 0.4 | +100.0% |
| 1960 | 0.6 | +50.0% |
| 1965 | 0.9 | +50.0% |
| 1970 | 1.1 | +22.2% |
| 1975 | 1.1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.1 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.5 | +36.4% |
| 1990 | 2.2 | +46.7% |
| 1995 | 3.1 | +40.9% |
| 2000 | 4.6 | +48.4% |
| 2005 | 4.2 | -8.7% |
| 2010 | 3.9 | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 5.4 | +38.5% |
| 2020 | 8.7 | +61.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 8.7 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.25, 57% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
- China's 8.7 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.3, 34% of the median. (13 countries reporting)
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 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.05 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.75 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2 |
| 1990s | 2.65 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 2 |
| 2000s | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.65 | 3.9 | 5.4 | 2 |
| 2020s | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 93.37 (1997)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 93.32 (1997)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in China?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in China was 8.7 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 8.7 in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does China rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- China ranks 69th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 123.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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).