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| 2011 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 422. | Percentage of the population 25 to 64 years old who attained a bachelor's or higher level degree, by age group and country: Selected years, 1999 through 2009 |
| Country | 1999 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | Total, 25 to 64 years old | 25 to 34 years old | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | ||
| OECD average1 | 14.0 | 16.5 | 15.1 | 18.2 | 16.1 | 19.6 | 16.9 | 21.0 | 17.9 | 22.2 | 18.8 | 23.9 | 19.5 | 24.6 | 20.0 | 25.4 | 20.8 | 26.6 | 21.4 | (0.03) | 27.7 | (0.08) |
| Australia | 17.7 | 20.1 | 19.2 | 23.9 | 20.0 | 24.7 | 20.5 | 24.9 | 21.9 | 27.0 | 22.7 | 29.2 | 23.8 | 29.2 | 24.1 | 30.6 | 25.5 | 31.9 | 26.8 | (0.29) | 34.6 | (0.62) |
| Austria2 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 11.1 | 9.1 | 11.6 | 10.1 | 12.9 | 10.4 | 13.3 | 10.7 | 13.5 | 11.4 | (0.10) | 15.3 | (0.25) |
| Belgium | 12.0 | 16.0 | 12.7 | 17.8 | 12.8 | 17.8 | 13.0 | 18.2 | 13.6 | 19.1 | 13.8 | 19.1 | 14.1 | 19.4 | 14.0 | 18.2 | 16.4 | 22.8 | 17.5 | (0.16) | 24.2 | (0.38) |
| Canada | 19.1 | 23.1 | 20.4 | 25.1 | 21.0 | 26.1 | 22.0 | 27.5 | 22.2 | 27.5 | 23.3 | 28.2 | 24.0 | 29.3 | 24.6 | 29.5 | 25.2 | 29.8 | 25.4 | (0.16) | 30.1 | (0.34) |
| Chile2,3 | 8.2 | 9.6 | 9.0 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 14.5 | 11.9 | 15.5 | 10.3 | 14.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15.7 | 22.3 | 16.4 | (0.15) | 24.0 | (0.30) |
| Czech Republic4 | 10.8 | 10.9 | 11.1 | 11.3 | 11.9 | 12.3 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 12.3 | 13.0 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 13.5 | 15.2 | 13.7 | 15.5 | 14.5 | 17.7 | 15.5 | (0.10) | 20.2 | (0.23) |
| Denmark | — | — | 21.5 | 21.7 | 22.8 | 23.4 | 25.0 | 27.2 | 25.2 | 27.2 | 26.0 | 30.7 | 27.1 | 31.7 | 25.5 | 32.0 | 27.5 | 34.9 | 27.1 | (0.18) | 36.2 | (0.60) |
| Estonia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22.2 | 24.1 | 22.2 | 24.1 | 22.2 | 25.2 | 22.3 | 23.5 | 22.7 | (0.41) | 21.7 | (0.87) |
| Finland | 13.9 | 15.6 | 14.8 | 18.0 | 15.6 | 20.5 | 16.4 | 23.1 | 17.1 | 23.8 | 18.1 | 26.6 | 19.2 | 29.4 | 20.9 | 31.8 | 21.5 | 32.9 | 22.6 | (0.13) | 36.0 | (0.34) |
| France | 11.0 | 15.3 | 11.9 | 17.5 | 12.4 | 18.6 | 14.2 | 21.9 | 14.3 | 22.0 | 14.8 | 22.3 | 15.6 | 23.7 | 15.9 | 23.8 | 16.4 | 23.7 | 17.3 | (0.08) | 25.7 | (0.20) |
| Germany | 13.0 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.4 | 13.5 | 14.1 | 14.0 | 14.7 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.6 | 16.1 | 16.4 | 17.5 | 17.1 | (0.06) | 18.9 | (0.14) |
| Greece | 12.2 | 16.6 | 12.4 | 16.6 | 12.7 | 16.9 | 12.6 | 16.5 | 14.6 | 17.2 | 14.5 | 17.0 | 15.1 | 17.7 | 15.4 | 18.7 | 16.8 | 18.6 | 16.9 | (0.09) | 19.3 | (0.21) |
| Hungary5 | 13.5 | 13.7 | 14.1 | 14.7 | 14.2 | 14.8 | 15.3 | 16.6 | 16.7 | 18.9 | 16.9 | 19.1 | 17.4 | 20.1 | 17.7 | 21.1 | 18.7 | 22.9 | 19.4 | (0.10) | 24.1 | (0.23) |
| Iceland | 17.8 | 22.3 | 18.8 | 21.1 | 19.9 | 22.9 | — | — | 23.5 | 28.2 | 25.9 | 32.5 | 25.6 | 28.5 | 26.1 | 27.9 | 27.9 | 30.6 | 28.8 | (0.48) | 33.4 | (0.96) |
| Ireland2 | 10.6 | 16.1 | 14.0 | 19.8 | 15.9 | 22.8 | 16.3 | 23.0 | 17.8 | 25.8 | 18.4 | 26.2 | 19.9 | 28.2 | 21.1 | 29.9 | 22.2 | 30.6 | 20.9 | (0.11) | 28.8 | (0.23) |
| Israel | — | — | — | — | 25.9 | 25.4 | 27.0 | 27.2 | 29.4 | 34.2 | 29.8 | 34.8 | 29.8 | 34.8 | 28.3 | 28.1 | 28.8 | 28.9 | 29.4 | (0.18) | 29.5 | (0.35) |
| Italy5 | 9.3 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 11.8 | 10.4 | 12.5 | — | — | 11.4 | 14.6 | 11.7 | 15.5 | 12.4 | 16.7 | 13.0 | 18.3 | 14.0 | 19.6 | 14.1 | (0.06) | 19.9 | (0.15) |
| Japan | 18.3 | 23.0 | 19.2 | 24.3 | 20.1 | 25.0 | 20.9 | 26.4 | — | — | 22.3 | 27.9 | 23.0 | 29.7 | 23.1 | 29.0 | 24.3 | 30.9 | 24.6 | (0.11) | 31.8 | (0.27) |
| Korea, Republic of | 16.9 | 23.2 | 17.5 | 25.0 | 18.5 | 25.8 | 21.7 | 29.9 | 22.0 | 30.8 | 22.7 | 31.7 | 23.5 | 32.9 | 24.4 | 33.9 | 25.6 | 34.5 | 27.1 | (0.23) | 37.6 | (0.47) |
| Luxembourg | 11.7 | 13.1 | 11.4 | 15.1 | 11.6 | 14.0 | — | — | 13.5 | 17.5 | 17.0 | 23.8 | 16.4 | 22.7 | 17.7 | 23.8 | 20.0 | 27.9 | 20.2 | (0.39) | 24.1 | (0.93) |
| Mexico | 11.9 | 14.1 | 13.3 | 15.3 | — | — | 13.6 | 16.0 | 14.4 | 16.3 | 13.8 | 17.0 | 14.4 | 17.5 | 14.9 | 18.4 | 14.9 | 18.5 | 15.9 | (0.05) | 20.2 | (0.10) |
| Netherlands | 20.1 | 22.7 | 20.9 | 24.1 | 21.9 | 25.3 | — | — | 26.9 | 31.8 | 28.3 | 33.8 | 28.4 | 34.3 | 29.1 | 35.1 | 29.8 | 37.5 | 30.0 | (0.09) | 37.6 | (0.22) |
| New Zealand | 13.1 | 15.6 | 13.9 | 16.9 | 14.8 | 17.6 | 16.1 | 20.7 | 17.6 | 22.8 | 19.7 | 26.2 | 23.0 | 29.8 | 25.3 | 33.0 | 25.1 | 33.6 | 23.2 | (0.41) | 30.8 | (0.96) |
| Norway2 | 25.3 | 30.6 | 27.6 | 35.4 | 28.4 | 37.4 | 28.5 | 37.4 | 29.4 | 37.0 | 30.3 | 38.9 | 30.5 | 39.8 | 31.9 | 40.8 | 33.6 | 43.8 | 34.5 | (0.20) | 45.5 | (0.45) |
| Poland2,4 | 11.3 | 12.3 | 11.9 | 15.2 | 12.1 | 15.6 | 14.2 | 20.4 | 15.7 | 23.2 | 16.9 | 25.5 | 17.9 | 28.0 | 18.7 | 30.0 | 19.6 | 32.1 | 21.2 | (0.12) | 35.4 | (0.29) |
| Portugal6 | 7.1 | 9.3 | 6.6 | 10.6 | 7.1 | 12.2 | 8.4 | 13.2 | 12.5 | 18.6 | 12.8 | 19.1 | 13.5 | 20.0 | 13.7 | 21.4 | 14.3 | 23.2 | 14.7 | (0.12) | 23.3 | (0.32) |
| Slovak Republic | — | — | 10.3 | 11.2 | 10.4 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 12.6 | 11.8 | 13.6 | 12.8 | 15.4 | 13.3 | 15.7 | 13.3 | 16.8 | 14.0 | 17.8 | 15.0 | (0.15) | 19.7 | (0.34) |
| Slovenia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10.6 | 15.2 | 10.6 | 15.2 | 11.7 | 17.6 | 11.8 | 18.4 | 12.6 | (0.17) | 18.7 | (0.42) |
| Spain | 14.8 | 22.1 | 16.9 | 23.9 | 17.3 | 24.7 | 17.9 | 25.8 | 18.9 | 26.6 | 19.9 | 27.0 | 19.8 | 26.0 | 20.0 | 26.0 | 20.0 | 25.7 | 20.1 | (0.07) | 25.0 | (0.15) |
| Sweden | 13.1 | 11.1 | 16.9 | 19.7 | 17.7 | 22.0 | 18.5 | 23.8 | 19.3 | 25.9 | 20.6 | 28.4 | 21.7 | 30.6 | 22.6 | 31.5 | 23.4 | 32.4 | 24.3 | (0.11) | 33.9 | (0.26) |
| Switzerland | 14.5 | 16.6 | 15.8 | 15.9 | 16.2 | 16.9 | 17.5 | 19.6 | 18.1 | 20.2 | 19.0 | 21.9 | 19.9 | 23.2 | 21.3 | 25.6 | 23.3 | 28.8 | 24.7 | (0.24) | 30.5 | (0.56) |
| Turkey4 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 8.9 | 10.2 | 9.3 | 10.6 | 9.7 | 11.4 | 9.1 | 10.8 | 9.7 | 11.8 | 10.4 | 12.8 | 10.8 | 13.6 | 12.0 | 15.5 | 12.7 | (0.07) | 16.6 | (0.13) |
| United Kingdom | 16.6 | 18.8 | 18.0 | 21.0 | 18.6 | 23.1 | 19.3 | 24.2 | 20.2 | 25.9 | 20.8 | 26.9 | 21.7 | 28.6 | 22.7 | 29.4 | 23.6 | 30.7 | 26.9 | (0.09) | 36.3 | (0.21) |
| United States | 27.5 | 28.7 | 28.3 | 29.9 | 29.0 | 30.6 | 29.4 | 30.0 | 29.7 | 30.2 | 29.6 | 30.3 | 29.9 | 29.9 | 30.9 | 31.0 | 31.5 | 32.3 | 31.4 | (0.16) | 32.1 | (0.32) |
| Other reporting countries |
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brazil2,4 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 7.2 | — | — | 7.8 | 7.9 | — | — | — | — | 9.6 | 10.0 | 10.8 | 11.0 | 10.9 | (0.07) | 11.6 | (0.12) |
| Russian Federation | — | — | — | — | 20.8 | 21.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 Refers to the mean of the data values for all reporting OECD countries, to which each country reporting data contributes equally. The average includes all current OECD countries for which a given year's data are available, even if they were not members of OECD in that year. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Data from 1998 reported for 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Data from 2000 reported for 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Data include vocational degrees. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Data for 1999 to 2004 include vocational degrees. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Data for 2004 to 2009 include vocational degrees. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Data in this table refer to degrees classified by OECD as International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) level 5A (first and second award) and as level 6. ISCED 5A, first award, corresponds to the bachelor's degree in the United States; ISCED 5A, second award, corresponds to master's and first-professional degrees in the United States; and ISCED 6 corresponds to doctor's degrees. Standard errors appear in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance, 2001 through 2011. (This table was prepared July 2011.) |
