Statizoid

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least a completed short-cycle tertiary degree (ISCED 5 or higher). Total by country

The percentage of population (age 25 and over) with a completed short-cycle tertiary degree (ISCED 5) or higher. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of persons aged 25 years and above with a completed short-cycle tertiary degree by the total population of the same age group and multiplying the...

Countries reporting
70
Highest
63.9%
Uzbekistan
Lowest
2.8%
Mali
Median
23.5%
Years covered
50
1970–2019
Data points
746

What the numbers show

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least a completed short-cycle tertiary degree (ISCED 5 or higher). Total is currently reported for 70 countries. The highest value is 63.9% in Uzbekistan; the lowest is 2.8% in Mali.

The median across all reporting countries is 23.5%, and the mean is 25.8%.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 23.

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least a completed: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Uzbekistan 63.9% 2018 up 23.0% rising
2 Israel 47.1% 2015 up 66.9% rising
3 Singapore 46.7% 2018 up 37.8% rising
4 United States 45.2% 2018 up 18.1% flat
5 United Kingdom 44.1% 2017 up 40.0% rising
6 Australia 43.3% 2018 up 20.8% rising
7 South Korea 40.3% 2015 up 27.6% rising
8 Estonia 40.3% 2018 up 21.2% rising
9 Switzerland 39.0% 2018 up 25.5% rising
10 Cayman Islands 38.2% 2015 up 55.8% rising
11 Norway 38.0% 2017 up 32.2% rising
12 Cyprus 37.8% 2018 up 26.3% rising
13 Denmark 37.1% 2018 up 8.7% rising
14 Finland 35.2% 2017 up 15.6% rising
15 Belgium 35.1% 2017 up 31.3% rising
16 Lithuania 34.5% 2017 up 34.4% rising
17 Venezuela 34.3% 2016 up 163.4% rising
18 Luxembourg 34.3% 2015 up 74.1% rising
19 Georgia 34.1% 2017 up 31.7% rising
20 Moldova 33.5% 2018 up 114.5% rising
21 Latvia 33.1% 2018 up 38.0% rising
22 Netherlands 33.0% 2018 up 20.2% rising
23 Sweden 32.8% 2017 up 13.9% rising
24 New Zealand 32.3% 2016 up 6.9% rising
25 Spain 31.1% 2018 up 27.0% rising
26 France 30.1% 2017 up 33.8% rising
27 Austria 28.4% 2017 up 79.6% rising
28 Slovenia 28.2% 2017 up 46.1% rising
29 Puerto Rico 26.3% 2017 up 23.7% rising
30 Palestine 25.9% 2018 up 33.1% rising
31 Germany 25.7% 2018 up 11.7% rising
32 Azerbaijan 25.4% 2017 up 1.5% flat
33 Poland 25.0% 2016 up 43.4% rising
34 Bulgaria 24.7% 2017 up 24.7% rising
35 Bolivia 24.0% 2015 up 14.8% rising
36 Iran 23.1% 2016 up 42.6% rising
37 Hong Kong 22.9% 2017 up 50.7% rising
38 Costa Rica 22.2% 2018 up 8.9% rising
39 Malta 22.1% 2018 up 97.5% rising
40 Chile 22.0% 2017 up 46.4% rising
41 Dominican Republic 22.0% 2016 up 17.8% rising
42 Peru 21.9% 2018 up 20.3% rising
43 Hungary 21.4% 2016 up 45.6% rising
44 Colombia 21.3% 2018 up 38.7% rising
45 Greece 21.2% 2016 up 18.7% rising
46 Andorra 21.0% 2016 up 17.0% flat
47 Czechia 20.9% 2017 up 66.1% rising
48 Slovakia 20.9% 2017 — rising
49 Serbia 20.8% 2017 up 39.9% rising
50 Argentina 20.0% 2018 up 15.9% rising
51 Thailand 19.3% 2018 up 50.1% rising
52 Turkey 19.1% 2017 up 113.9% rising
53 Portugal 18.7% 2018 up 61.2% rising
54 Brazil 16.5% 2018 up 65.2% rising
55 Mexico 16.4% 2018 up 13.7% rising
56 Paraguay 15.2% 2018 up 46.1% rising
57 Tunisia 15.2% 2016 up 34.2% rising
58 Romania 14.7% 2017 up 41.4% rising
59 Italy 14.4% 2015 up 42.6% rising
60 Uruguay 13.3% 2018 up 39.9% rising
61 South Africa 11.8% 2017 up 169.8% rising
62 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.8% 2018 up 89.1% rising
63 Bangladesh 10.1% 2019 up 69.7% rising
64 Indonesia 10.0% 2018 up 131.3% rising
65 Honduras 9.7% 2018 up 32.4% rising
66 Kuwait 9.5% 2012 up 12.5% falling
67 Pakistan 8.7% 2017 up 37.4% rising
68 Guatemala 8.5% 2014 up 135.5% volatile
69 El Salvador 8.0% 2017 up 28.9% falling
70 Mali 2.8% 2018 up 46.9% rising

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UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least a completed by country. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/uis-percentage-of-population-age-25-with-at-least-a-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-degree/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least a completed short-cycle tertiary degree (ISCED 5 or higher). Total
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
70 places, 746 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

The percentage of population (age 25 and over) with a completed short-cycle tertiary degree (ISCED 5) or higher. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of persons aged 25 years and above with a completed short-cycle tertiary degree 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/