In 2022, Canada had the highest share of adults with a university degree, at over 60 percent of those between the ages of 25 and 64. India had the smallest share of people with a university degree, at 13 percent of the adult population. University around the world Deciding which university to attend can be a difficult decision for some and in today’s world, people are not left wanting for choice. There are thousands of universities around the world, with the highest number found in India and Indonesia. When picking which school to attend, some look to university rankings, where Harvard University in the United States consistently comes in on top. Moving on up One of the major perks of attending university is that it enables people to move up in the world. Getting a good education is generally seen as a giant step along the path to success and opens up doors for future employment. Future earnings potential can be determined by which university one attends, whether by the prestige of the university or the connections that have been made there. For instance, graduates from the Stanford Graduate School of Business can expect to earn around 250,000 U.S. dollars annually.
In 2022, Canada had the greatest number of international students compared to their entire higher education population, with nearly ** percent of students being international. Australia followed with a share of ** percent of the students being international, while the United Kingdom ranked third.
Among the OECD countries, Canada had the highest proportion of adults with a tertiary education in 2022. About 63 percent of Canadians had achieved a tertiary education in that year. Japan followed with about 56 percent of the population having completed a tertiary education, while in Ireland the share was roughly 54 percent. In India, on the other hand, less than 13 percent of the adult population had completed a tertiary education in 2022.
These statistics on student enrolments and qualifications obtained by higher education (HE) students at HE providers in the UK are produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Information is available for:
Earlier higher education student statistics bulletins are available on the https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/statistical-first-releases?date_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=&topic%5B%5D=4" class="govuk-link">HESA website.
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The average for 2022 based on 119 countries was 55.47 percent. The highest value was in Greece: 166.67 percent and the lowest value was in Tanzania: 5.43 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.
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Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Malaysia: Queensland data was reported at 1,174.000 Person in Dec 2024. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1,174.000 Person for Nov 2024. Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Malaysia: Queensland data is updated monthly, averaging 1,615.500 Person from Jan 2002 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 276 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,204.000 Person in Dec 2010 and a record low of 675.000 Person in Jan 2022. Number of Students: Higher Education: ytd: Malaysia: Queensland data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Education. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G120: Education Statistics: Number of Enrolments.
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BE: Educational Attainment, At Least Completed Upper Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 75.126 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 74.248 % for 2021. BE: Educational Attainment, At Least Completed Upper Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 64.280 % from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2022, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 75.126 % in 2022 and a record low of 14.020 % in 1970. BE: Educational Attainment, At Least Completed Upper Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed upper secondary education.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;
These statistics on student enrolments and qualifications obtained by higher education (HE) students at HE providers in the UK are produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Information is available for:
As of 2022, 70 percent of the South Korean population between 25 and 34 had attained a tertiary education, making it the OECD country with the highest proportion of tertiary education graduates. Canada followed with more than two-thirds, while in Japan, the share was around 66 percent. By comparison, roughly 13 percent of South Africans between 25 and 34 had a tertiary education in 2022.
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AZ: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data was reported at 27.100 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 27.395 % for 2022. AZ: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 23.555 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2023, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27.395 % in 2022 and a record low of 22.800 % in 2007. AZ: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Azerbaijan – Table AZ.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;
Lithuania had the largest share of the population with tertiary education in the age group of 25 to 34 years among the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), at over 58 percent in 2022. It was followed by Slovenia and Latvia. In the age group from 55 to 64 years, the largest share was recorded in Estonia, while the lowest was in Romania at around 10 percent.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 include 1,799 universities across 104 countries and regions, making them the largest and most diverse university rankings to date. The table is based on 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across four areas: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.
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BY: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Tertiary School Enrollment: Gross data was reported at 1.120 Ratio in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.110 Ratio for 2022. BY: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Tertiary School Enrollment: Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 1.233 Ratio from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.313 Ratio in 2008 and a record low of 1.108 Ratio in 2020. BY: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Tertiary School Enrollment: Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belarus – Table BY.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education is the ratio of women to men enrolled at tertiary level in public and private schools.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;
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European Post-Secondary Non-Tertiary Education HICP by Country, 2022 Discover more data with ReportLinker!
More than half of the population in Canada between 55 and 64 years had attained a tertiary education as of 2022, making it the OECD country with the highest proportion of tertiary education graduates in that age group. Japan followed with about 48 percent, while in Israel the share was around 47 percent. By comparison, roughly 6.5 percent of Indian citizens between 55 and 64 years had a tertiary education in 2022.
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CO: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data was reported at 28.467 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 27.995 % for 2022. CO: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 18.790 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2023, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.467 % in 2023 and a record low of 10.880 % in 2006. CO: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;
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AM: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Post-Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data was reported at 53.163 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 54.253 % for 2021. AM: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Post-Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 48.336 % from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2022, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 54.253 % in 2021 and a record low of 42.110 % in 2001. AM: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Post-Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Total: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Armenia – Table AM.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed post-secondary non-tertiary education.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;;
Across all OECD countries included (except for Japan), there was a higher share of women than men among the new first-time higher education students in 2022. This reflects a general trend across developed countries that women tend to reach higher levels of education than that of men.
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BR: Tertiary Education: Teachers: % Female data was reported at 46.708 % in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 46.493 % for 2021. BR: Tertiary Education: Teachers: % Female data is updated yearly, averaging 43.734 % from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2022, with 39 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 52.768 % in 2002 and a record low of 20.708 % in 1970. BR: Tertiary Education: Teachers: % Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Tertiary education, academic staff (% female) is the share of female academic staff in tertiary education.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;
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China Gross Enrollment Rate of Higher Education data was reported at 60.200 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 59.600 % for 2022. China Gross Enrollment Rate of Higher Education data is updated yearly, averaging 24.200 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.200 % in 2023 and a record low of 7.200 % in 1995. China Gross Enrollment Rate of Higher Education data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Education. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GD: Gross Enrollment Rate.
In 2022, Canada had the highest share of adults with a university degree, at over 60 percent of those between the ages of 25 and 64. India had the smallest share of people with a university degree, at 13 percent of the adult population. University around the world Deciding which university to attend can be a difficult decision for some and in today’s world, people are not left wanting for choice. There are thousands of universities around the world, with the highest number found in India and Indonesia. When picking which school to attend, some look to university rankings, where Harvard University in the United States consistently comes in on top. Moving on up One of the major perks of attending university is that it enables people to move up in the world. Getting a good education is generally seen as a giant step along the path to success and opens up doors for future employment. Future earnings potential can be determined by which university one attends, whether by the prestige of the university or the connections that have been made there. For instance, graduates from the Stanford Graduate School of Business can expect to earn around 250,000 U.S. dollars annually.