Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Zambia
Zambia: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 1 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Zambia, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 1 for share of the population with completed tertiary education in 2020.
That represents a change of down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Zambia peaked at 2.5 in 1995 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
Zambia ranks 107th of 111 countries on this measure, 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 Zambia, 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 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1965 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 1970 | 0.5 | +25.0% |
| 1975 | 0.5 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.4 | -20.0% |
| 1985 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.4 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.5 | +525.0% |
| 2000 | 2.3 | -8.0% |
| 2005 | 1.9 | -17.4% |
| 2010 | 1.5 | -21.1% |
| 2015 | 1.2 | -20.0% |
| 2020 | 1 | -16.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 1 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.7, 21% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 1 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3.3, 30% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +525.0% | 0.4 | 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 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.05 | 0 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1940s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.35 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.45 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.1 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2 |
| 2010s | 1.35 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2 |
| 2020s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 86.21 (2017)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 96.49 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with completed tertiary education in Zambia?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Zambia was 1 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5 in 1995.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does Zambia rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Zambia ranks 107th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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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