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

United States: UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of was 43.7% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
43.7%
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
15th
of 80 countries
All-time high
74.1%
in 1975
All-time low
43.7%
in 2018
Years of data
19
1970–2018

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States, 1970–2018

0204060801970199420181970: 48.11975: 74.11979: 69.91980: 49.11981: 68.91994: 46.82004: 50.12005: 49.42006: 48.92008: 48.82009: 482010: 47.82011: 47.52012: 46.92013: 46.52014: 462015: 45.32016: 452018: 43.7

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States is 43.7%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.

That represents a change of down 2.8% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States peaked at 74.1% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 43.7%, in 2018.

United States ranks 15th of 80 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

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

Annual values for UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is upper secondary, female in United States, 1970 to 2018.
Year Value Change
1970 48.1%
1975 74.1% +54.1%
1979 69.9% -5.7%
1980 49.1% -29.8%
1981 68.9% +40.3%
1994 46.8% -32.0%
2004 50.1% +6.9%
2005 49.4% -1.3%
2006 48.9% -1.2%
2008 48.8% -0.1%
2009 48.0% -1.7%
2010 47.8% -0.5%
2011 47.5% -0.5%
2012 46.9% -1.3%
2013 46.5% -1.0%
2014 46.0% -1.0%
2015 45.3% -1.4%
2016 45.0% -0.8%
2018 43.7% -2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 64.0% 48.1% 74.1% 3
1980s 59.0% 49.1% 68.9% 2
1990s 46.8% 46.8% 46.8% 1
2000s 49.0% 48.0% 50.1% 5
2010s 46.1% 43.7% 47.8% 8

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 12 Romania 44.8% compare
  2. 13 Austria 44.6% compare
  3. 14 Serbia 44.3% compare
  4. 16 Hungary 43.1% compare
  5. 17 Bosnia and Herzegovina 42.0% compare
  6. 18 Estonia 41.6% compare

See the full ranking of 80 places →

More reference data data for United States

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States?
Uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States was 43.7% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in United States?
The highest recorded value was 74.1% in 1975.
What is the lowest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in United States?
The lowest recorded value was 43.7% in 2018.
How does United States rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of?
United States ranks 15th out of 80 countries with data for 2018.
Is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of rising or falling in United States?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United States 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 upper secondary, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/uis-percentage-of-population-age-25-whose-highest-level-of-education-is-upper-secondary-2/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is upper secondary, female
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
80 places, 887 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

The percentage of female population (age 25 and over) with completed upper secondary education (ISCED 3) as the highest level of educational attainment. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of females aged 25 years and above who completed upper secondary education as the highest level of educational attainment by the total female 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/