Table 603.50.

Number of bachelor's degree recipients per 100 persons at the typical minimum age of graduation, by sex and country: Selected years, 2005 through 2012

Country	Typical age of gradua- tion,1 2012	Total							Male							Female
		2005	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2005	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2005	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
OECD average2	—	34.7	37.5	39.1	38.9	39.8	39.7	40.8	27.5	30.0	31.0	31.0	31.5	31.8	32.7	42.3	45.3	47.5	47.1	48.5	48.0	49.3
Australia	23	59.9	60.7	58.9	58.5	58.6	59.0	63.4	47.9	48.6	47.0	46.9	46.5	47.0	50.6	72.5	73.4	71.4	70.8	71.4	71.8	76.7
Austria	22-25	20.4	22.4	25.8	30.3	30.7	33.7	36.4	19.0	20.8	22.7	25.9	26.3	28.5	29.7	21.8	24.0	29.1	34.7	35.2	39.0	43.3
Belgium (Flemish)3	21	18.4	35.4	27.0	—	—	—	—	17.0	32.6	24.4	—	—	—	—	19.8	38.2	29.6	—	—	—	—
Canada	22	33.6	35.2	39.5	38.9	38.6	37.6	35.1	25.2	26.5	29.1	29.3	29.1	28.5	26.8	42.2	44.3	50.6	49.0	48.6	47.2	43.9
Chile	23-26	11.5	14.5	14.7	17.6	18.1	18.5	19.0	9.7	11.9	11.7	13.2	14.9	15.5	16.1	13.4	17.3	17.8	22.1	21.5	21.6	21.9
Czech Republic	22-26	26.0	36.4	39.2	39.7	42.3	42.8	45.2	22.6	31.0	32.2	30.4	31.1	30.8	32.9	29.5	42.1	46.6	49.7	54.4	55.5	57.9
Denmark	24-26	52.9	50.9	50.3	48.3	50.7	50.6	49.3	37.2	38.3	38.3	35.3	37.5	38.3	37.1	69.2	63.9	62.6	61.7	64.3	63.3	62.0
Estonia	22-24	28.5	27.3	23.8	22.9	22.3	23.8	22.1	17.6	17.6	14.9	13.7	14.0	15.4	15.1	39.5	37.3	32.8	32.7	31.6	32.6	29.4
Finland4	24	53.8	58.8	79.8	42.3	46.4	50.3	52.0	38.8	41.3	55.3	28.7	33.1	36.4	38.4	69.7	77.4	105.6	56.6	60.3	65.0	66.3
France	19-24	—	33.8	33.9	33.0	—	—	—	—	30.2	30.3	29.8	—	—	—	—	37.5	37.6	36.3	—	—	—
Germany	24-27	20.5	23.2	25.5	28.9	30.4	31.0	30.5	20.0	22.0	24.0	27.4	28.7	29.6	29.0	21.1	24.4	27.0	30.5	32.2	32.5	32.0
Greece3	23-24	23.9	21.7	26.6	—	25.4	27.3	26.7	16.3	14.7	18.3	—	17.5	18.6	18.7	32.2	29.4	35.5	—	34.0	36.7	35.5
Hungary	21-24	41.5	38.8	37.6	39.0	38.4	32.8	29.9	29.0	26.2	25.2	27.1	28.0	25.0	23.0	54.5	51.8	50.4	51.2	49.1	41.0	37.2
Iceland	23-25	56.3	62.8	55.9	50.7	65.4	—	57.7	33.6	38.0	34.1	30.7	40.1	—	38.8	80.5	88.0	78.9	72.2	91.3	—	77.9
Ireland	21	40.7	44.8	46.0	47.1	52.2	46.8	48.3	33.3	36.4	36.9	38.5	45.3	40.0	40.7	48.0	53.4	55.2	55.4	58.9	53.5	56.1
Israel	26-29	32.9	36.1	36.3	36.4	36.8	38.5	41.1	25.7	29.1	29.6	30.8	30.6	31.8	33.6	40.2	43.1	43.1	42.0	43.1	45.3	48.7
Italy	23-25	44.8	38.7	35.8	34.6	33.6	34.3	33.1	37.3	31.6	29.5	28.5	26.9	27.3	25.9	52.7	46.1	42.3	40.9	40.6	41.6	40.6
Japan	21-23	36.9	38.8	40.6	41.5	41.3	44.8	46.3	41.3	42.9	44.9	46.1	45.4	49.1	50.1	32.2	34.4	36.0	36.7	37.1	40.2	42.3
Korea, Republic of	22-26	35.5	42.9	48.7	50.0	50.7	49.9	49.0	34.8	42.7	49.0	51.0	50.9	49.2	47.3	36.2	43.2	48.5	48.8	50.4	50.7	51.1
Mexico	23	15.2	18.2	17.8	19.0	19.5	20.9	21.3	14.5	16.8	16.2	17.4	17.7	19.3	20.0	15.9	19.7	19.3	20.7	21.2	22.4	22.6
Netherlands	23	47.2	47.8	46.0	45.6	44.7	45.3	49.2	40.2	41.7	39.8	39.4	38.6	38.5	42.2	54.3	54.1	52.3	51.9	51.0	52.2	56.2
New Zealand	21-23	49.0	53.8	50.0	50.7	47.3	51.0	54.8	36.6	41.6	37.6	38.9	36.7	37.6	40.2	62.0	66.0	63.0	63.1	58.6	65.1	70.6
Norway	22-25	42.1	45.0	46.1	44.3	46.1	46.1	44.3	28.8	31.8	33.9	32.0	33.7	33.4	32.5	55.8	58.7	58.8	57.3	58.8	59.3	56.5
Poland	23-25	45.0	46.6	48.2	49.4	56.9	60.6	55.7	32.8	34.4	35.0	35.9	40.5	42.9	40.3	57.6	59.2	61.9	63.3	73.8	79.1	71.6
Portugal	22	33.7	46.0	50.4	44.3	44.6	42.9	44.4	21.7	35.0	40.3	35.9	34.5	34.2	36.0	46.0	57.4	60.9	53.1	55.2	52.1	53.0
Slovak Republic	21-23	30.1	37.9	57.6	61.7	50.9	48.6	46.3	25.6	26.8	38.7	42.8	35.2	33.9	32.7	34.8	49.6	77.3	81.5	67.3	63.6	60.5
Slovenia	23-26	21.6	21.1	22.6	27.9	34.7	38.1	45.6	14.3	13.9	14.4	17.2	21.7	25.2	31.1	29.4	29.0	31.7	39.6	49.2	52.1	61.4
Spain	20-22	35.0	34.7	35.5	37.4	39.5	45.1	43.1	27.1	26.6	27.3	28.8	30.7	35.7	35.7	43.3	43.3	44.2	46.4	48.5	54.9	51.0
Sweden	25	44.0	42.2	40.9	38.1	35.7	38.5	35.1	30.8	29.1	27.9	25.8	23.6	25.0	23.8	57.6	55.8	54.7	51.0	48.6	52.7	47.0
Switzerland	24-26	25.0	28.9	30.6	29.2	28.8	28.0	28.7	26.1	28.7	29.2	27.0	26.7	25.4	26.4	23.9	29.2	32.0	31.5	31.0	30.7	31.2
Turkey	23-24	11.3	17.0	19.5	20.8	23.1	22.7	27.1	11.8	17.9	20.6	22.4	24.9	23.9	27.4	10.7	15.9	18.4	19.2	21.2	21.4	26.8
United Kingdom	20-24	39.8	39.0	40.2	39.9	41.9	43.4	45.5	34.1	32.9	33.5	33.8	35.6	36.6	38.5	45.7	45.4	47.2	46.3	48.6	50.6	52.8
United States	21	34.2	36.5	37.3	37.8	38.2	38.8	38.8	28.1	30.1	31.0	31.4	31.8	32.4	32.4	40.7	43.4	43.9	44.5	45.0	45.4	45.3
Other reporting countries
Brazil	22	17.5	22.7	25.6	24.9	23.1	25.9	26.9	13.3	18.4	19.9	17.9	16.9	19.0	19.2	21.6	27.0	31.3	32.0	29.4	32.8	35.1
Russian Federation	22-24	45.9	48.6	52.7	51.8	55.1	58.6	60.3	—	—	—	—	—	—	46.4	—	—	—	—	—	—	74.6

—Not available.

1 The typical age of graduation is based on full-time attendance and normal progression through the education system (without repeating coursework, taking time off, etc.); this age varies across countries because of differences in their education systems and differences in program duration. In countries where the typical duration of bachelor’s degree programs varies, an age span is shown. For example, if a typical program duration can be as little as 3 years or as much as 6 years, then the first age in the span represents those who graduate after 3 years, while the final age represents those who graduate after 6 years. The typical age of graduation is presented for the most recent year of data and may differ from previous years; please see previously published volumes of the Digest of Education Statistics for the typical age in previous years.

2 Refers to the mean of the data values for all reporting Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (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.

3 Reference year for typical age of graduation is 2008.

4 Structural changes in the Finnish higher education system accounted for much of the increase in Finnish degree recipients in 2008, as well as the decrease in 2009. Students had a strong incentive to complete their degrees in 2008. Students who did not complete their degrees in 2008 may have had to spend extra time or take additional courses in order to meet new requirements that went into effect in 2009.

NOTE: Data in this table refer to degrees classified by OECD as International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) 1997 level 5A, first award. This level corresponds to the bachelor's degree in the United States. The recipients-per-100-persons ratio relates the number of people of all ages earning bachelor's degrees in a particular year to the number of people in the population at the typical minimum age of graduation. Some countries have two types of awards that correspond to the bachelor’s degree (with different typical minimum ages of graduation). The typical minimum age for an award that requires 3 to 5 years for completion would be based on graduation after 3 years, and the typical minimum age for an award that requires 5 to 6 years would be based on graduation after 5 years. The recipients-per-100-persons ratio is the sum of all persons earning the two different award types, divided by the sum of all persons at the minimum graduation age for each of the award types. Data for Luxembourg are not shown because students generally attend no more than 1 year of higher education in Luxembourg and must complete their degrees in other countries.

SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance, 2006 through 2014; and Online Education Database, retrieved November 26, 2014, from http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx. (This table was prepared December 2014.)