Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Nepal
Nepal: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 2.8 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Nepal, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 2.8 for share of the population with completed tertiary education in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Nepal peaked at 4.4 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
That places Nepal 95th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 completed tertiary education in Nepal, 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 | — |
| 1940 | 0.1 | — |
| 1945 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1970 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1975 | 0.6 | +100.0% |
| 1980 | 1.2 | +100.0% |
| 1985 | 2.5 | +108.3% |
| 1990 | 4.4 | +76.0% |
| 1995 | 4 | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.9 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 3.5 | -10.3% |
| 2015 | 3.5 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.8 | -20.0% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 2.8 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.7, 60% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Nepal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +108.3% | 1.2 | 2.5 |
| 1965 | +100.0% | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| 1975 | +100.0% | 0.3 | 0.6 |
| 1980 | +100.0% | 0.6 | 1.2 |
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 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.15 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.45 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.85 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 1990s | 4.2 | 4 | 4.4 | 2 |
| 2000s | 3.95 | 3.9 | 4 | 2 |
| 2010s | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More education data for Nepal
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.55 (2025)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.24 (2025)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 124,257 (2025)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 263,796 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 752,326 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 609,324 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.67 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.57 million (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Nepal?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Nepal was 2.8 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 4.4 in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Nepal rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Nepal ranks 95th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nepal 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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