UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America

United States of America: UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower was 96.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
96.0%
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
15th
of 86 countries
All-time high
96.0%
in 2018
All-time low
89.6%
in 1990
Years of data
15
1980–2018

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America, 1980–2018

0204060801001980199920181980: 92.71990: 89.62004: 93.72005: 93.72006: 94.22008: 94.52009: 94.52010: 94.82011: 94.92012: 952013: 95.22014: 95.32015: 95.32016: 95.62018: 96

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

United States of America recorded 96.0% for uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in 2018. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America peaked at 96.0% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 89.6%, in 1990.

That places United States of America 15th out of 86 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower secondary education (ISCED 2 or higher). Total in United States of America, 1980 to 2018.
Year Value Change
1980 92.7%
1990 89.6% -3.3%
2004 93.7% +4.6%
2005 93.7% -0.0%
2006 94.2% +0.5%
2008 94.5% +0.3%
2009 94.5% +0.1%
2010 94.8% +0.2%
2011 94.9% +0.1%
2012 95.0% +0.1%
2013 95.2% +0.2%
2014 95.3% +0.1%
2015 95.3% +0.1%
2016 95.6% +0.3%
2018 96.0% +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 92.7% 92.7% 92.7% 1
1990s 89.6% 89.6% 89.6% 1
2000s 94.1% 93.7% 94.5% 5
2010s 95.3% 94.8% 96.0% 8

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 12 Hungary 97.2% compare
  2. 13 Switzerland 97.1% compare
  3. 14 Germany 96.3% compare
  4. 16 Lithuania 95.6% compare
  5. 17 Azerbaijan 95.5% compare
  6. 18 Bulgaria 95.4% compare

See the full ranking of 86 places →

More reference data data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America?
Uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America was 96.0% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 96.0% in 2018.
What is the lowest uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 89.6% in 1990.
How does United States of America rank for uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower?
United States of America ranks 15th out of 86 countries with data for 2018.
Is uis: percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower rising or falling in United States of America?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United States of America data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower secondary education (ISCED 2 or higher). Total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/uis-percentage-of-population-age-25-with-at-least-completed-lower-secondary-education/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
UIS: Percentage of population age 25+ with at least completed lower secondary education (ISCED 2 or higher). Total
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
86 places, 935 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

The percentage of population (age 25 and over) with at least completed lower secondary education (ISCED 2 or higher). This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of persons aged 25 years and above with completed lower secondary education 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/