Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes was 161,145 number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
161,145 number
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
16th
of 176 countries
All-time high
161,145 number
in 2018
All-time low
79,402 number
in 1984
Years of data
35
1983–2018

Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom, 1983–2018

050.0k100.0k150.0k1983200020181983: 79.4k number1984: 79.4k number1985: 79.5k number1986: 79.6k number1987: 80.7k number1988: 89.1k number1989: 84.7k number1990: 83.3k number1991: 86.2k number1992: 89.5k number1993: 92.1k number1994: 97.3k number1995: 82.2k number1996: 89.2k number1997: 89.9k number1999: 92.2k number2000: 94.4k number2001: 96.5k number2002: 98.3k number2003: 101.0k number2004: 111.8k number2005: 122.3k number2006: 125.6k number2007: 129.9k number2008: 134.2k number2009: 137.9k number2010: 140.4k number2011: 139.8k number2012: 139.8k number2013: 145.3k number2014: 151.6k number2015: 148.5k number2016: 151.2k number2017: 156.3k number2018: 161.1k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 161,145 number for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in 2018. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 20.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom peaked at 161,145 number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 79,402 number, in 1984.

That places United Kingdom 16th out of 176 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.

Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom, 1983 to 2018.
Year number Change
1983 79,415 number
1984 79,402 number -0.0%
1985 79,544 number +0.2%
1986 79,621 number +0.1%
1987 80,664 number +1.3%
1988 89,136 number +10.5%
1989 84,666 number -5.0%
1990 83,300 number -1.6%
1991 86,200 number +3.5%
1992 89,500 number +3.8%
1993 92,067 number +2.9%
1994 97,274 number +5.7%
1995 82,203 number -15.5%
1996 89,241 number +8.6%
1997 89,867 number +0.7%
1999 92,165 number +2.6%
2000 94,360 number +2.4%
2001 96,450 number +2.2%
2002 98,310 number +1.9%
2003 101,040 number +2.8%
2004 111,830 number +10.7%
2005 122,305 number +9.4%
2006 125,585 number +2.7%
2007 129,930 number +3.5%
2008 134,170 number +3.3%
2009 137,950 number +2.8%
2010 140,354 number +1.7%
2011 139,758 number -0.4%
2012 139,785 number +0.0%
2013 145,294 number +3.9%
2014 151,566 number +4.3%
2015 148,524 number -2.0%
2016 151,211 number +1.8%
2017 156,295 number +3.4%
2018 161,145 number +3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 81,778 number 79,402 number 89,136 number 7
1990s 89,091 number 82,203 number 97,274 number 9
2000s 115,193 number 94,360 number 137,950 number 10
2010s 148,215 number 139,758 number 161,145 number 9

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 13 Spain 171,869 number compare
  2. 14 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 164,903 number compare
  3. 15 Colombia 162,209 number compare
  4. 17 Türkiye 158,098 number compare
  5. 18 Ukraine 152,977 number compare
  6. 19 Philippines 151,252 number compare

See the full ranking of 221 places →

More education data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom?
Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom was 161,145 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 161,145 number in 2018.
What is the lowest teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 79,402 number in 1984.
How does United Kingdom rank for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes?
United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 176 countries with data for 2018.
Is teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 20.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/teachers-in-tertiary-education-programmes-both-sexes-number/united-kingdom/

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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.