Saudi Arabia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes

Saudi Arabia
256,004 number
in 2019
Sub-Saharan Africa
1.71 million number
in 2018
Saudi Arabia rank
23rd
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
23rd

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes over time

  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M199820082019

How they compare

Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 1.71 million number against 256,004 number in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 1.45 million number.

That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 6.7 times Saudi Arabia's.

Across all 21 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.

Saudi Arabia ranks 23rd and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 23rd of 143 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Saudi Arabia Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 31,428 number 785,201 number 753,772 number Sub-Saharan Africa
2000s 84,965 number 1.27 million number 1.19 million number Sub-Saharan Africa
2010s 155,448 number 1.69 million number 1.54 million number Sub-Saharan Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes, Saudi Arabia or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Sub-Saharan Africa, at 1.71 million number against 256,004 number in Saudi Arabia as of 2018.
What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes between Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa?
1.45 million number, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa?
21 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2018.
How do Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
Saudi Arabia ranks 23rd and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 23rd of 143 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Saudi Arabia vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-both-sexes-number/saudi-arabia/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
188 places, 2,883 data points, 1997–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students enrolled in public and private short-cycle tertiary education programmes (ISCED 5).