Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in South Korea
South Korea: Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population was 49.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in South Korea, 2003–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in South Korea is 49.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in South Korea peaked at 49.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 29.5%, in 2003.
South Korea ranks 17th of 110 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.8% | 29.5% | 36.1% | 5 |
| 2010s | 42.8% | 39.3% | 46.0% | 8 |
| 2020s | 47.8% | 46.5% | 49.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 14 Latvia 50.7% compare
- 15 South Africa 50.7% compare
- 16 United States 49.8% compare
- 18 Estonia 49.5% compare
- 19 Israel 49.5% compare
- 20 Luxembourg 48.5% compare
More education data for South Korea
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 10.2% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.5% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 100.9% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 173,133 (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 100.8% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 101.0% (2024)
- Labor force, female 44.4% (2025)
- Labor force, total 29.87 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in South Korea?
- Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in South Korea was 49.6% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 49.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.5% in 2003.
- How does South Korea rank for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population?
- South Korea ranks 17th out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed post-secondary non-tertiary education.