Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay
Uruguay: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 7.7 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay stood at 7.7.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay peaked at 13.5 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0.1, in 1870.
That places Uruguay 74th 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.1 | — |
| 1875 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1895 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1905 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.8 | +166.7% |
| 1920 | 1.1 | +37.5% |
| 1925 | 1.5 | +36.4% |
| 1930 | 2 | +33.3% |
| 1935 | 2.5 | +25.0% |
| 1940 | 3.1 | +24.0% |
| 1945 | 3.6 | +16.1% |
| 1950 | 4 | +11.1% |
| 1955 | 4.3 | +7.5% |
| 1960 | 4.7 | +9.3% |
| 1965 | 5.1 | +8.5% |
| 1970 | 5.7 | +11.8% |
| 1975 | 6.8 | +19.3% |
| 1980 | 7.7 | +13.2% |
| 1985 | 9 | +16.9% |
| 1990 | 11 | +22.2% |
| 1995 | 13.5 | +22.7% |
| 2000 | 12.6 | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 10.7 | -15.1% |
| 2010 | 10.4 | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 9.1 | -12.5% |
| 2020 | 7.7 | -15.4% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 7.7 is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.6, 25% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 7.7 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 13.8, 56% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | +166.7% | 0.3 | 0.8 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.55 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 2 |
| 1920s | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2 |
| 1930s | 2.25 | 2 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 1940s | 3.35 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 2 |
| 1950s | 4.15 | 4 | 4.3 | 2 |
| 1960s | 4.9 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 2 |
| 1970s | 6.25 | 5.7 | 6.8 | 2 |
| 1980s | 8.35 | 7.7 | 9 | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.25 | 11 | 13.5 | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.65 | 10.7 | 12.6 | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.75 | 9.1 | 10.4 | 2 |
| 2020s | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More education data for Uruguay
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.38 (2015)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.96 (2023)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25,390 (2010)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 2,520 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 57,513 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 54,922 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 337,808 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 287,527 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.35 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Uruguay was 7.7 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 13.5 in 1995.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 in 1870.
- How does Uruguay rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Uruguay ranks 74th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uruguay 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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