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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
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Overview
6 figures
People
18 figures
Economy
18 figures
Housing
6 figures
Education
10 figures
Tourism
3 figures
Climate
3 figures
Latest value · 2022
79.4%
−5.5 pp
since 2021
Countries · 2022
12 of 34
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2005
−1.3 pp
vs World
+35.7 pp
World: 43.6% · 2024
University enrolment, 1971 – 2022 percent · United States · World
−1.3 pp since 2005
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
1971
1990
2000
2024
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
| Year | United States | Change | 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
2021 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | University enrolment | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | Bangladesh | 23.9% | |
| 33 | India | 31.6% | |
| 32 | Philippines | 33.6% | |
| 31 | Egypt | 35.1% | |
| 30 | Indonesia | 40.6% | |
| 29 | Mexico | 45.7% | |
| 28 | Algeria | 54.2% | |
| 27 | Russia | 55.0% | |
| 26 | Romania | 55.3% | |
| 25 | Lebanon | 56.9% | |
| 24 | Brazil | 57.6% | |
| 23 | Colombia | 58.3% | |
| 22 | China | 66.8% | |
| 21 | Czechia | 69.8% | |
| 20 | France | 69.9% | |
| 19 | Italy | 71.3% | |
| 18 | Poland | 72.2% | |
| 17 | Saudi Arabia | 74.4% | |
| 16 | Lithuania | 75.0% | |
| 15 | Germany | 75.7% | |
| 14 | United Kingdom | 76.8% | |
| 13 | Canada | 79.8% | |
| 12 | United States | 84.9% | |
| 11 | Bulgaria | 85.3% | |
| 10 | Netherlands | 89.4% | |
| 9 | Norway | 93.9% | |
| 8 | Spain | 95.4% | |
| 7 | Chile | 96.2% | |
| 6 | Hong Kong SAR China | 97.4% | |
| 5 | South Korea | 100.4% | |
| 4 | Finland | 100.9% | |
| 3 | Argentina | 107.2% | |
| 2 | Türkiye | 125.8% | |
| 1 | Greece | 150.6% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2021
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%).
Education & commute
United States in numbers