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

South Africa: UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of was 48.5% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
48.5%
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
17th
of 80 countries
All-time high
50.1%
in 2015
All-time low
5.6%
in 1985
Years of data
17
1970–2017

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in South Africa, 1970–2017

10203040501970199320171970: 7.41985: 5.62001: 19.52002: 37.62003: 40.42004: 40.42005: 41.12006: 43.62007: 41.92008: 43.82009: 45.92010: 46.62011: 46.32012: 48.32014: 49.72015: 50.12017: 48.5

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in South Africa is 48.5%, measured in 2017.

That represents a change of down 3.1% on the previous year and up 15.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in South Africa peaked at 50.1% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 1985.

South Africa ranks 17th of 80 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

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

Annual values for UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is upper secondary, male in South Africa, 1970 to 2017.
Year Value Change
1970 7.4%
1985 5.6% -23.4%
2001 19.5% +244.7%
2002 37.6% +93.4%
2003 40.4% +7.5%
2004 40.4% -0.2%
2005 41.1% +1.9%
2006 43.6% +6.1%
2007 41.9% -4.0%
2008 43.8% +4.6%
2009 45.9% +4.7%
2010 46.6% +1.6%
2011 46.3% -0.6%
2012 48.3% +4.3%
2014 49.7% +2.8%
2015 50.1% +0.8%
2017 48.5% -3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 7.4% 7.4% 7.4% 1
1980s 5.6% 5.6% 5.6% 1
2000s 39.4% 19.5% 45.9% 9
2010s 48.3% 46.3% 50.1% 6

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 14 Latvia 53.1% compare
  2. 15 Hungary 52.8% compare
  3. 16 Germany 49.2% compare
  4. 18 Republic of Moldova 48.5% compare
  5. 19 United States of America 45.6% compare
  6. 20 Denmark 44.4% compare

See the full ranking of 80 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in South Africa?
Uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in South Africa was 48.5% in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 50.1% in 2015.
What is the lowest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 1985.
How does South Africa rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of?
South Africa ranks 17th out of 80 countries with data for 2017.
Is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa 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, male. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/uis-percentage-of-population-age-25-whose-highest-level-of-education-is-upper-secondary-3/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is upper secondary, male
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 male 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 males aged 25 years and above who completed upper secondary education as the highest level of educational attainment by the total male 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/