United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Other Small States was 86.25975 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Other Small States reached a record high of 86.25975 in January of 2023 and a record low of 71.82288 in January of 1983. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Other Small States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on May of 2025.

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This dataset provides values for LITERACY RATE ADULT TOTAL PERCENT OF PEOPLE AGES 15 AND ABOVE WB DATA.HTML reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Central America literacy rate for was 0.00%, a 0% increase from .

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Central America literacy rate for was <strong>0.00%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from .</li>
<li>Central America literacy rate for was <strong>0.00%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from .</li>
<li>Central America literacy rate for was <strong>0.00%</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from .</li>
</ul>Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

There is a gender gap in the global literacy rate. Although literacy rates have generally increased worldwide for both men and women, men are on average more literate than women. As of 2023, about 90.6 percent of men and a little less than 84.1 percent of women worldwide were literate. Adult literacy rate is defined as the percentage of people aged 15 years and above who can both read and write with understanding a short, simple statement about their everyday life. Youth literacy rate Not only does the literacy gender gap concern adults, it also exists among the world’s younger generations aged 15 to 24. Despite an overall increase in literacy, young men are still more literate than young women. In fact, the global youth literacy rate as gender parity index was 0.98 as of 2023, indicating that young women are not yet as literate as young men. Gender pay gap Gender gaps occur in many different spheres of global society. One such issue concerns salary gender gaps in professional life. Regarding the controlled gender pay gap, which measures the median salary for men and women with the same job and qualifications, women still earned less than men as of 2024. The difference was even bigger when measuring the median salary for all men and women. However, not everyone worries about gender pay gaps. According to a survey from 2021, 54 percent of the female respondents deemed the gender pay gap a real problem, compared to 45 percent of the male respondents.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Lower Middle Income Countries was 77.63182 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Lower Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 77.63182 in January of 2023 and a record low of 47.38413 in January of 1975. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Lower Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

In 2023, the illiteracy rate among adults aged 15 years and older was almost 32 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Asia, the illiteracy rate was 25 percent. Adult illiteracy rate is defined as the percentage of the population aged 15 and older who can not read or write. Even though illiteracy continues to persist around the world, illiteracy levels have been reduced significantly over the past decades.

literacy rate for 2022 was 94.51%, a 0.15% increase from 2021.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li> literacy rate for 2021 was <strong>94.36%</strong>, a <strong>0.26% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li> literacy rate for 2020 was <strong>94.10%</strong>, a <strong>0.03% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li> literacy rate for 2019 was <strong>94.07%</strong>, a <strong>0.46% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

China literacy rate for 2020 was 97.00%, a 2% increase from 2010.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>China literacy rate for 2010 was <strong>95.00%</strong>, a <strong>4% increase</strong> from 2000.</li>
<li>China literacy rate for 2000 was <strong>91.00%</strong>, a <strong>13% increase</strong> from 1990.</li>
<li>China literacy rate for 1990 was <strong>78.00%</strong>, a <strong>12% increase</strong> from 1982.</li>
</ul>Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

Historical chart and dataset showing World literacy rate by year from 1976 to 2023.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Arab World was 76.15426 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Arab World reached a record high of 76.15426 in January of 2023 and a record low of 44.90297 in January of 1977. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for the Arab World - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Upper Middle Income Countries was 95.61952 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Upper Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 95.79682 in January of 2020 and a record low of 69.21488 in January of 1976. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Upper Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

The National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) is administered by the Division of Adult Education and Literacy in the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Aggregated data, data from individual US states and territories, and narrative reports, all covering program years 2000-2022, were downloaded from https://nrs.ed.gov/ between 2025-02-06 and 2025-02-09. Aggregated reports were uploaded to Data Lumos as both regular files and a zipped folder; state data tables were only uploaded as a zipped folder, due to the high number of individual files. Total, there are 11,206 files and 628 folders in the entire dataset, due to the way it was structured on the original website.

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Least Developed Countries was 67.71457 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Least Developed Countries reached a record high of 67.71457 in January of 2023 and a record low of 40.17880 in January of 1981. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Least Developed Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries was 85.17915 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries reached a record high of 85.17915 in January of 2023 and a record low of 59.01323 in January of 1975. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Low and Middle Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

In 2023, the average adult literacy rates (15 years and older) in Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to 94.79 percent. Literacy rates in Latin America and the Caribbean have been slightly improving in all three age groups since 2014.

Access North America Adult Education Industry Overview which includes North America country analysis of (United States, Canada, Mexico), market split by Product Type, Application

United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States was 87.28028 % of People Ages 15 and Above in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States reached a record high of 87.28028 in January of 2023 and a record low of 76.87106 in January of 1986. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Small States - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

According to Cognitive Market Research, The Global Adult Education market will grow at a compound yearly growth rate (CAGR) of 7.50% from 2023 to 2030.

The demand for Adult Education is rising due to promotions or better job performance.
Demand for online courses and certification courses in the Adult Education market.
The offline teaching and formal structure learning category held the highest Adult Education market revenue share in 2023.
North America will continue to lead, whereas the EuropeAdult Education market will experience the strongest growth until 2030

Gaining Promotions or Better Job Performance to Provide Viable Market Output

The adult education market is witnessing a surge driven by a growing demand for career advancement. Professionals seek upskilling and specialized training to secure promotions and enhance job performance. This trend fuels a robust market for targeted courses, workshops, and certifications catering to diverse industries and sectors. Employers increasingly recognize the value of continuous learning, leading to employer-sponsored programs.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks offers various adult courses, including agriculture, business, engineering, and natural resources. The university reported revenue of $358 million.

(Source: www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa/press-releases/usda-nifa-invests-education-alaska-native-serving-native-hawaiian-serving)

Additionally, technological advancements facilitate convenient online learning options, further expanding the market reach. As a result, the adult education sector displays promising growth prospects, with a focus on tangible outcomes such as career progression and improved job effectiveness.

Technological Advancements to Propel Market Growth

The adult education market is poised for significant growth, driven by rapid technological advancements. The integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and online learning platforms, is revolutionizing how adults access and engage with educational content.

The University of Illinois at Springfield provides several online courses and degree programs for adults. The university focuses on areas of study such as healthcare, business, and education. The university's revenue was $123 million.

(Source: nces.ed.gov/npec/pdf/kuh_team_report.pdf)

It has led to a surge in personalized, interactive learning experiences catering to diverse learner preferences. Additionally, the convenience and flexibility offered by digital platforms have expanded the market's reach, overcoming traditional barriers like geographical constraints. As a result, the adult education market is witnessing a surge in demand, with robust growth projected in the coming years as technology continues to redefine the learning landscape.

Growing global literacy rates and a keen interest in adult learning

Market Dynamics Of Adult Education

Key Drivers for Adult Education

Demands for Reskilling and Upskilling as a Result of Workforce Automation: Adult workers are increasingly required to reskill or upskill as automation, artificial intelligence, and digitization redefine job requirements across industries. Both employers and workers understand how critical it is to adjust to technological advancements in fields like coding, digital marketing, and data analytics. Programs for adult education offer the specialization and flexibility required to close this skills gap, which encourages enrollment in both developed and emerging nations.

Government Programs and Grants to Encourage Lifelong Learning: Numerous governments have put policies in place to promote lifelong learning through free community programs, tax breaks, and subsidized courses. The Erasmus+ program for adult learners in Europe and the adult basic education grants offered by the U.S. Department of Education are two examples. Through accessible adult education, these programs promote inclusive economic growth by focusing on underserved groups like older workers, immigrants, and the unemployed.

Key Restraints for Adult Education

Adults' Time Limitations and Conflicting Responsibilities: Adult learners frequently find it difficult to balance their academic commitments with their personal and professional responsibilities. Childcare, full-time work, and elder care are among the responsibilities that limit sustained participation in learning...

According to an early 2025 survey, 40 percent of Grindr users in the United States had a Bachelor's degree qualification. Users with technical/vocational education or who had a Bachelor's degree qualification represented 18 percent to 17 percent of the dating app's audiences in the country. Users who had a Master's degree accounted for around 20 percent of the app's user base in the country.