UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada

Canada: UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of was 15.5% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
15.5%
World rank
40th
of 90 countries
All-time high
63.5%
in 1972
All-time low
15.5%
in 2016
Years of data
10
1970–2016

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada, 1970–2016

20304050601970199320161970: 60.21972: 63.51976: 36.61981: 391986: 34.71991: 34.32001: 31.12006: 20.62011: 17.32016: 15.5

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada is 15.5%, measured in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.

That represents a change of down 24.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada peaked at 63.5% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 2016.

That places Canada 40th out of 90 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada, year by year

Annual values for UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is lower secondary, both sexes in Canada, 1970 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1970 60.2%
1972 63.5% +5.4%
1976 36.6% -42.3%
1981 39.0% +6.5%
1986 34.7% -10.9%
1991 34.3% -1.4%
2001 31.1% -9.1%
2006 20.6% -33.9%
2011 17.3% -16.2%
2016 15.5% -10.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 53.4% 36.6% 63.5% 3
1980s 36.9% 34.7% 39.0% 2
1990s 34.3% 34.3% 34.3% 1
2000s 25.9% 20.6% 31.1% 2
2010s 16.4% 15.5% 17.3% 2

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 37 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 16.2% compare
  2. 38 Hong Kong 16.1% compare
  3. 39 Malaysia 15.9% compare
  4. 41 Slovenia 15.2% compare
  5. 42 Bahrain 15.0% compare
  6. 43 Costa Rica 14.9% compare

See the full ranking of 90 places →

More reference data data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada?
Uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada was 15.5% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 63.5% in 1972.
What is the lowest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 2016.
How does Canada rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of?
Canada ranks 40th out of 90 countries with data for 2016.
Is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is down 24.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is lower secondary, both sexes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/uis-percentage-of-population-age-25-whose-highest-level-of-education-is-lower-secondary/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is lower secondary, both sexes
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
90 places, 991 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

The percentage of population (age 25 and over) with completed lower secondary education (ISCED 2) as the highest level of educational attainment. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of persons aged 25 years and above who completed lower secondary education as the highest level of educational attainment by the total population of the same age group and multiplying the result by 100. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) educational attainment dataset shows the educational composition of the population aged 25 years and above and hence the stock and quality of human capital within a country. The dataset also reflects the structure and performance of the education system and its accumulated impact on human capital formation. For more information, visit the UNESCO Institute for Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/