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 44.6% in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
44.6%
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
19th
of 81 countries
All-time high
69.5%
in 1975
All-time low
44.4%
in 1990
Years of data
20
1970–2018

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

02040601970199420181970: 44.41975: 69.51979: 65.41980: 45.21981: 64.61990: 44.41994: 44.62004: 492005: 492006: 48.42008: 48.42009: 48.12010: 482011: 47.62012: 472013: 46.62014: 46.42015: 46.12016: 45.62018: 44.6

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

United States recorded 44.6% for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of in United States peaked at 69.5% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 44.4%, in 1990.

That places United States 19th out of 81 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 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, both sexes in United States, 1970 to 2018.
Year Value Change
1970 44.4%
1975 69.5% +56.5%
1979 65.4% -5.9%
1980 45.2% -30.8%
1981 64.6% +42.7%
1990 44.4% -31.3%
1994 44.6% +0.6%
2004 49.0% +9.8%
2005 49.0% -0.1%
2006 48.4% -1.2%
2008 48.4% -0.0%
2009 48.1% -0.6%
2010 48.0% -0.2%
2011 47.6% -0.8%
2012 47.0% -1.3%
2013 46.6% -0.8%
2014 46.4% -0.5%
2015 46.1% -0.8%
2016 45.6% -1.1%
2018 44.6% -2.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 59.8% 44.4% 69.5% 3
1980s 54.9% 45.2% 64.6% 2
1990s 44.5% 44.4% 44.6% 2
2000s 48.6% 48.1% 49.0% 5
2010s 46.5% 44.6% 48.0% 8

Countries ranked near United States

  1. 16 Estonia 47.3% compare
  2. 17 Latvia 46.7% compare
  3. 18 Switzerland 46.2% compare
  4. 20 Moldova 41.7% compare
  5. 21 Denmark 40.9% compare
  6. 22 France 39.8% compare

See the full ranking of 81 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 44.6% 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 69.5% 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 44.4% in 1990.
How does United States rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ whose highest level of?
United States ranks 19th out of 81 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 7.7%. 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, 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 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/united-states/

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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/