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

New Zealand: UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of was 23.2% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
23.2%
Change on year
down 8.5%
World rank
58th
of 81 countries
All-time high
30.9%
in 2001
All-time low
7.8%
in 1991
Years of data
8
1991–2016

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in New Zealand, 1991–2016

10152025301991200320161991: 7.82001: 30.92006: 25.42011: 20.62012: 20.72014: 23.42015: 25.32016: 23.2

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

The most recent figure for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in New Zealand is 23.2%, measured in 2016.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.5% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in New Zealand peaked at 30.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 1991.

That places New Zealand 58th out of 81 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Annual values for UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is upper secondary, both sexes in New Zealand, 1991 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1991 7.8%
2001 30.9% +296.4%
2006 25.4% -17.8%
2011 20.6% -19.0%
2012 20.7% +0.5%
2014 23.4% +13.1%
2015 25.3% +8.2%
2016 23.2% -8.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 7.8% 7.8% 7.8% 1
2000s 28.2% 25.4% 30.9% 2
2010s 22.6% 20.6% 25.3% 5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 55 Indonesia 24.6% compare
  2. 56 Paraguay 24.1% compare
  3. 57 Canada 24.1% compare
  4. 59 El Salvador 21.7% compare
  5. 60 Panama 20.1% compare
  6. 61 Türkiye 19.8% compare

See the full ranking of 81 places →

More reference data data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in New Zealand?
Uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in New Zealand was 23.2% in 2016, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 30.9% in 2001.
What is the lowest uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 1991.
How does New Zealand rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of?
New Zealand ranks 58th out of 81 countries with data for 2016.
Is uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this New Zealand 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, 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 New Zealand. 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/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of education is upper secondary, both sexes
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
81 places, 897 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

The percentage of 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 persons aged 25 years and above who completed upper 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/