Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 256,004 number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
256,004 number
Change on year
up 31.0%
World rank
23rd
of 143 countries
All-time high
256,004 number
in 2019
All-time low
24,605 number
in 1998
Years of data
22
1998–2019

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, 1998–2019

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k1998200820191998: 24.6k number1999: 38.3k number2000: 47.9k number2001: 55.6k number2002: 58.1k number2003: 69.0k number2004: 79.2k number2005: 85.0k number2006: 94.0k number2007: 113.4k number2008: 120.2k number2009: 127.4k number2010: 127.1k number2011: 115.4k number2012: 127.9k number2013: 153.1k number2014: 153.5k number2015: 155.5k number2016: 167.6k number2017: 203.4k number2018: 195.4k number2019: 256.0k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia stood at 256,004 number. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.

That represents a change of up 31.0% on the previous year and up 101.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia peaked at 256,004 number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 24,605 number, in 1998.

That places Saudi Arabia 23rd out of 143 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

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

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number) in Saudi Arabia, 1998 to 2019.
Year number Change
1998 24,605 number —
1999 38,252 number +55.5%
2000 47,916 number +25.3%
2001 55,611 number +16.1%
2002 58,092 number +4.5%
2003 68,982 number +18.7%
2004 79,159 number +14.8%
2005 84,992 number +7.4%
2006 93,968 number +10.6%
2007 113,372 number +20.6%
2008 120,175 number +6.0%
2009 127,385 number +6.0%
2010 127,148 number -0.2%
2011 115,396 number -9.2%
2012 127,948 number +10.9%
2013 153,119 number +19.7%
2014 153,492 number +0.2%
2015 155,494 number +1.3%
2016 167,608 number +7.8%
2017 203,449 number +21.4%
2018 195,374 number -4.0%
2019 256,004 number +31.0%

Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries

  • Saudi Arabia's 256,004 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,411 number, 24.6× the median. (62 countries reporting)
  • Saudi Arabia's 256,004 number is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25,390 number, 10.1× the median. (19 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 31,428 number 24,605 number 38,252 number 2
2000s 84,965 number 47,916 number 127,385 number 10
2010s 165,503 number 115,396 number 256,004 number 10

Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia

  1. 20 Chile 347,377 number compare
  2. 21 Thailand 345,866 number compare
  3. 22 United Kingdom 284,245 number compare
  4. 24 Greece 224,478 number compare
  5. 25 Bangladesh 203,373 number compare
  6. 26 Morocco 188,014 number compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More reference data data for Saudi Arabia

All data for Saudi Arabia →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia was 256,004 number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The highest recorded value was 256,004 number in 2019.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The lowest recorded value was 24,605 number in 1998.
How does Saudi Arabia rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
Saudi Arabia ranks 23rd out of 143 countries with data for 2019.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
Over the last ten years it is up 101.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Saudi Arabia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-both-sexes-number/saudi-arabia/

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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).