Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America

North America: Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes was 1.75 million number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
1.75 million number
Change on year
down 0.4%
Rank
19th
of 43 groups
All-time high
1.79 million number
in 2015
All-time low
641,669 number
in 1970
Years of data
49
1970–2018

Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America, 1970–2018

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M197019942018

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America is 1.75 million number, measured in 2018.

The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 10.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America peaked at 1.79 million number in 2015 and was at its lowest, 641,669 number, in 1970.

North America ranks 19th of 43 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.

Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America, year by year

Annual values for Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number) in North America, 1970 to 2018.
Year number Change
1970 641,669 number
1971 658,791 number +2.7%
1972 683,867 number +3.8%
1973 693,588 number +1.4%
1974 713,140 number +2.8%
1975 728,542 number +2.2%
1976 767,797 number +5.4%
1977 791,501 number +3.1%
1978 804,876 number +1.7%
1979 799,937 number -0.6%
1980 815,205 number +1.9%
1981 842,741 number +3.4%
1982 854,374 number +1.4%
1983 852,380 number -0.2%
1984 848,349 number -0.5%
1985 848,416 number +0.0%
1986 842,467 number -0.7%
1987 851,790 number +1.1%
1988 946,102 number +11.1%
1989 959,112 number +1.4%
1990 990,701 number +3.3%
1991 1.01 million number +1.7%
1992 1.00 million number -0.5%
1993 991,483 number -1.0%
1994 1.09 million number +10.0%
1995 1.08 million number -0.7%
1996 1.09 million number +1.0%
1997 1.07 million number -2.2%
1998 1.04 million number -2.3%
1999 1.12 million number +7.6%
2000 1.16 million number +3.5%
2001 1.17 million number +0.7%
2002 1.26 million number +7.7%
2003 1.33 million number +5.0%
2004 1.34 million number +1.3%
2005 1.39 million number +3.2%
2006 1.48 million number +6.7%
2007 1.51 million number +2.2%
2008 1.58 million number +4.8%
2009 1.60 million number +1.3%
2010 1.65 million number +2.7%
2011 1.67 million number +1.7%
2012 1.72 million number +2.6%
2013 1.76 million number +2.5%
2014 1.78 million number +1.0%
2015 1.79 million number +0.4%
2016 1.76 million number -1.7%
2017 1.76 million number +0.1%
2018 1.75 million number -0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 728,371 number 641,669 number 804,876 number 10
1980s 866,094 number 815,205 number 959,112 number 10
1990s 1.05 million number 990,701 number 1.12 million number 10
2000s 1.38 million number 1.16 million number 1.60 million number 10
2010s 1.74 million number 1.65 million number 1.79 million number 9

Countries ranked near North America

  1. 16 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 161,145 number compare
  2. 17 Türkiye 158,098 number compare
  3. 18 Ukraine 152,977 number compare
  4. 19 Philippines 151,252 number compare
  5. 20 Argentina 142,283 number compare
  6. 21 France 109,827 number compare
  7. 22 Egypt 106,577 number compare

See the full ranking of 221 places →

More education data for North America

All data for North America →

Frequently asked questions

What is teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America?
Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America was 1.75 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes recorded in North America?
The highest recorded value was 1.79 million number in 2015.
What is the lowest teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes recorded in North America?
The lowest recorded value was 641,669 number in 1970.
How does North America rank for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes?
North America ranks 19th out of 43 groups with data for 2018.
Is teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes rising or falling in North America?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this North America data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in North America. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/teachers-in-tertiary-education-programmes-both-sexes-number/north-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
221 places, 5,942 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of teachers in public and private tertiary education institutions (ISCED 5-8). Teachers are persons employed full time or part time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils and students, irrespective of their qualifications or the delivery mechanism, i.e. face-to-face and/or at a distance. This definition excludes educational personnel who have no active teaching duties (e.g. headmasters, headmistresses or principals who do not teach) and persons who work occasionally or in a voluntary capacity in educational institutions.