Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul in Canada

Canada: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul was 49.3% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
49.3%
World rank
8th
of 129 countries
All-time high
59.8%
in 2014
All-time low
19.3%
in 1986
Years of data
15
1986–2021

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul in Canada, 1986–2021

20304050601986200320211986: 19.3 cumulative1991: 21.5 cumulative1997: 45.7 cumulative1998: 46.4 cumulative1999: 47.2 cumulative2000: 47.6 cumulative2001: 40.3 cumulative2003: 51.2 cumulative2004: 51.9 cumulative2006: 43.9 cumulative2009: 56.2 cumulative2011: 47.7 cumulative2014: 59.8 cumulative2016: 49.7 cumulative2021: 49.3 cumulative

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.

Analysis

In 2021, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul in Canada stood at 49.3%.

The figure is up 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul in Canada peaked at 59.8% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 19.3%, in 1986.

That places Canada 8th out of 129 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 19.3% 19.3% 19.3% 1
1990s 40.2% 21.5% 47.2% 4
2000s 48.5% 40.3% 56.2% 6
2010s 52.4% 47.7% 59.8% 3
2020s 49.3% 49.3% 49.3% 1

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 5 Ireland 51.2% compare
  2. 6 United States 49.8% compare
  3. 7 South Korea 49.6% compare
  4. 9 United Kingdom 48.7% compare
  5. 10 Ukraine 47.8% compare
  6. 11 Australia 47.5% compare

See the full ranking of 129 places →

More education data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul in Canada?
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul in Canada was 49.3% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 59.8% in 2014.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 19.3% in 1986.
How does Canada rank for educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul?
Canada ranks 8th out of 129 countries with data for 2021.
Is educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, popul rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Canada 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 short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
129 places, 2,142 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.