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Education & commute Statistics · Country

University enrolment in United States

1971 – 2022 · 39 data points 12 of 34 · Countries Updated Oct 21, 2026

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1971 – 2022

University enrolment, 1971 – 2022 percent · United States · World
−1.3 pp since 2005
United States World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1971 – 2022

Compared with University enrolment · percent
United States
79.4%
World
43.6% · 2024

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance United States · 1971 – 2022
Latest value 79.4% · 2022
First value 46.8% · 1971
Highest 88.9% · 2015
Lowest 46.8% · 1971
Data points 39

By year

All years · 1971 – 2022

YearUnited StatesChange World
2022 79.4% −5.5 pp 42.0%
2021 84.9% −2.7 pp 41.1%
2020 87.6% −0.3 pp 39.7%
2019 87.9% −0.4 pp 38.7%
2018 88.3% +0.1 pp 37.9%
2017 88.2% −0.7 pp 37.5%
2016 88.8% −0.1 pp 37.1%
2015 88.9% +0.3 pp 36.6%
2014 88.6% −0.1 pp 35.6%
2013 88.7% +8.1 pp 33.1%
2005 80.6% +9.3 pp 24.3%
1999 71.4% +0.5 pp 18.8%
1998 70.9% −8.4 pp 18.1%
1996 79.3% −1.0 pp 16.4%
1995 80.3% +0.9 pp 16.3%
1994 79.5% +0.8 pp 15.8%
1993 78.7% +1.7 pp 15.3%
1992 77.1% +4.2 pp 14.9%
1991 72.8% +1.3 pp 13.5%
1990 71.5% +2.9 pp 13.3%
1989 68.6% +1.8 pp 13.3%
1988 66.8% +2.8 pp 13.0%
1987 64.0% +3.1 pp 13.0%
1986 61.0% +1.7 pp 12.5%
1985 59.2% +0.5 pp 13.6%
1984 58.8% +1.2 pp 13.7%
1983 57.5% +0.7 pp 12.3%
1982 56.9% +1.5 pp 12.4%
1981 55.3% +2.5 pp 12.2%
1980 52.9% +1.1 pp 11.9%
1979 51.8% −0.6 pp 11.4%
1978 52.4% +0.6 pp 11.2%
1977 51.8% −1.8 pp 10.9%
1976 53.6% +3.5 pp 10.7%
1975 50.1% +1.7 pp 11.5%
1974 48.4% +0.1 pp 11.3%
1973 48.3% +0.3 pp 9.7%
1972 48.0% +1.2 pp 10.7%
1971 46.8% 8.7%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1971 – 2022

Ranking · Countries

2020 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryUniversity enrolment
28 Algeria 53.4%
3 Argentina 99.4%
35 Bangladesh 22.7%
26 Brazil 55.5%
11 Bulgaria 85.5%
13 Canada 75.2%
8 Chile 89.1%
22 China 61.6%
25 Colombia 55.7%
36 Congo - Kinshasa 6.4%
21 Czechia 67.2%
24 Ecuador 56.9%
31 Egypt 38.8%
5 Finland 96.5%
19 France 68.9%
16 Germany 72.4%
1 Greece 143.7%
7 Hong Kong SAR China 89.9%
34 India 29.8%
32 Indonesia 38.2%
20 Italy 68.7%
29 Lebanon 51.6%
15 Lithuania 73.6%
30 Mexico 45.2%
12 Netherlands 85.3%
10 Norway 87.2%
33 Philippines 31.6%
17 Poland 71.0%
27 Romania 53.5%
23 Russia 57.2%
14 Saudi Arabia 73.8%
4 South Korea 96.9%
6 Spain 91.6%
2 Türkiye 118.9%
18 United Kingdom 69.4%
9 United States 87.6%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2020

What it means

How many young people study at universities and colleges.

How it is calculated

Students in tertiary education divided by the population of the five-year age group after secondary school (gross ratio, can exceed 100%).