Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United States

United States: Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes was 1.58 million number in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
1.58 million number
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
2nd
of 176 countries
All-time high
1.58 million number
in 2017
All-time low
574,000 number
in 1971
Years of data
22
1971–2017

Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United States, 1971–2017

0500.0k1.0M1.5M1971199420171971: 574.0k number1972: 596.0k number1973: 603.0k number1974: 620.0k number1975: 633.0k number1976: 670.0k number1977: 687.0k number1984: 702.0k number1985: 700.0k number1986: 694.0k number1987: 701.0k number1988: 793.0k number1990: 824.0k number1991: 833.8k number1992: 826.0k number1993: 833.3k number1994: 915.5k number1995: 905.8k number1996: 915.3k number2014: 1.6M number2015: 1.6M number2017: 1.6M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United States is 1.58 million number, measured in 2017. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.0% over five years.

Over the whole period, teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United States peaked at 1.58 million number in 2017 and was at its lowest, 574,000 number, in 1971.

United States ranks 2nd of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes (number) in United States, 1971 to 2017.
Year number Change
1971 574,000 number
1972 596,000 number +3.8%
1973 603,000 number +1.2%
1974 620,000 number +2.8%
1975 633,000 number +2.1%
1976 670,000 number +5.8%
1977 687,000 number +2.5%
1984 702,000 number +2.2%
1985 700,000 number -0.3%
1986 694,000 number -0.9%
1987 701,000 number +1.0%
1988 793,000 number +13.1%
1990 824,000 number +3.9%
1991 833,844 number +1.2%
1992 826,000 number -0.9%
1993 833,278 number +0.9%
1994 915,474 number +9.9%
1995 905,849 number -1.1%
1996 915,321 number +1.0%
2014 1.58 million number +72.7%
2015 1.58 million number +0.0%
2017 1.58 million number +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 626,143 number 574,000 number 687,000 number 7
1980s 718,000 number 694,000 number 793,000 number 5
1990s 864,824 number 824,000 number 915,474 number 7
2010s 1.58 million number 1.58 million number 1.58 million number 3

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 1 China (People’s Republic of) 1.61 million number compare
  2. 3 India 1.42 million number compare
  3. 4 Japan 560,123 number compare
  4. 5 Russia 539,144 number compare

See the full ranking of 221 places →

More education data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United States?
Teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes in United States was 1.58 million number in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 1.58 million number in 2017.
What is the lowest teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 574,000 number in 1971.
How does United States rank for teachers in tertiary education programmes, both sexes?
United States ranks 2nd out of 176 countries with data for 2017.
Where does this United States 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 States. 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-states/

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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.