Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 15.7 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sri Lanka, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sri Lanka stood at 15.7.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sri Lanka peaked at 16.1 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
That places Sri Lanka 53rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 Sri Lanka, 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 | 0.1 | — |
| 1920 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1935 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1950 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 1960 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.5 | +25.0% |
| 1970 | 1.3 | +160.0% |
| 1975 | 1.4 | +7.7% |
| 1980 | 1.2 | -14.3% |
| 1985 | 2.5 | +108.3% |
| 1990 | 5 | +100.0% |
| 1995 | 9.1 | +82.0% |
| 2000 | 14.8 | +62.6% |
| 2005 | 15.2 | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 15.9 | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 16.1 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 15.7 | -2.5% |
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 | 0.05 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.25 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.45 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.35 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.85 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 1990s | 7.05 | 5 | 9.1 | 2 |
| 2000s | 15 | 14.8 | 15.2 | 2 |
| 2010s | 16 | 15.9 | 16.1 | 2 |
| 2020s | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 73,333 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 65.8% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 21.7% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 10 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 5 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sri Lanka?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sri Lanka was 15.7 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1 in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Sri Lanka ranks 53rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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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