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| 2016 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 603.20. | Percentage of the population 25 to 64 years old who attained any postsecondary degree, by age group and country: Selected years, 2001 through 2015 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | 2001 | 2005 | 2010 | 2012 | 2014 | 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 |
35 to 44 years old |
45 to 54 years old |
55 to 64 years old |
||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||||||||||
| OECD average1 | 22.5 | 27.8 | 26.2 | 32.1 | 30.7 | (0.05) | 37.8 | (0.10) | 32.1 | (0.04) | 39.2 | (0.09) | 33.4 | (0.04) | 40.7 | (0.09) | 35.0 | (0.05) | 42.1 | (0.12) | 39.6 | (0.09) | 31.4 | (0.09) | 26.0 | (0.08) |
| Australia | 29.0 | 33.5 | 31.7 | 38.1 | 37.6 | (0.45) | 44.4 | (0.85) | 41.3 | (0.27) | 47.2 | (0.56) | 41.9 | (0.29) | 48.1 | (0.59) | 42.9 | (0.30) | 48.5 | (0.59) | 48.9 | (0.58) | 38.2 | (0.57) | 33.9 | (0.60) |
| Austria | 14.1 | 14.3 | 17.8 | 19.7 | 19.3 | (0.26) | 20.8 | (0.54) | 20.0 | (0.23) | 23.0 | (0.50) | 29.9 | (0.26) | 38.4 | (0.57) | 30.6 | (0.29) | 38.6 | (0.65) | 34.3 | (0.53) | 27.4 | (0.48) | 21.8 | (0.47) |
| Belgium | 27.6 | 37.5 | 31.0 | 40.6 | 35.0 | (0.20) | 43.8 | (0.44) | 35.3 | (0.20) | 43.0 | (0.45) | 36.9 | (0.24) | 44.2 | (0.50) | 36.9 | (0.21) | 43.1 | (0.64) | 42.6 | (0.43) | 34.8 | (0.39) | 26.9 | (0.38) |
| Canada | 41.9 | 50.5 | 46.1 | 53.8 | 50.6 | (0.23) | 56.5 | (0.43) | 52.6 | (0.23) | 57.3 | (0.40) | 53.6 | (0.25) | 57.7 | (0.41) | 55.2 | (0.20) | 59.2 | (0.37) | 62.3 | (0.35) | 53.8 | (0.33) | 45.7 | (0.34) |
| Chile2,3,4 | — | — | 13.2 | 18.3 | 26.8 | (0.18) | 38.5 | (0.34) | 17.8 | (0.12) | 22.5 | (0.26) | 21.1 | (0.12) | 27.3 | (0.26) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Czech Republic | 11.1 | 11.3 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 16.8 | (0.10) | 22.6 | (0.25) | 19.3 | (0.11) | 27.8 | (0.28) | 21.5 | (0.12) | 29.9 | (0.30) | 22.2 | (0.12) | 31.0 | (0.44) | 22.8 | (0.24) | 20.0 | (0.24) | 14.5 | (0.20) |
| Denmark | 28.4 | 29.0 | 33.5 | 39.8 | 33.3 | (0.19) | 37.6 | (0.50) | 34.8 | (0.19) | 40.2 | (0.46) | 35.8 | (0.19) | 42.1 | (0.46) | 37.1 | (†) | 44.5 | (†) | 42.2 | (†) | 33.8 | (†) | 28.5 | (†) |
| Estonia | — | — | 33.3 | 32.8 | 35.3 | (0.79) | 37.8 | (1.73) | 37.3 | (0.69) | 39.8 | (1.46) | 38.0 | (0.42) | 40.0 | (0.89) | 38.0 | (0.42) | 40.5 | (1.26) | 39.8 | (0.82) | 36.0 | (0.80) | 35.4 | (0.84) |
| Finland | 32.3 | 38.2 | 34.6 | 37.5 | 38.1 | (0.24) | 39.2 | (0.52) | 39.7 | (0.24) | 39.7 | (0.52) | 41.8 | (0.17) | 40.3 | (0.37) | 42.7 | (0.30) | 40.5 | (0.92) | 50.3 | (0.63) | 44.6 | (0.57) | 36.3 | (0.57) |
| France | 23.0 | 34.2 | 24.8 | 39.3 | 29.0 | (0.09) | 42.9 | (0.21) | 30.9 | (0.09) | 42.9 | (0.21) | 33.5 | (0.10) | 44.7 | (0.31) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Germany | 23.2 | 21.8 | 24.6 | 22.5 | 26.6 | (0.08) | 26.1 | (0.19) | 28.1 | (0.08) | 29.0 | (0.19) | 27.1 | (0.08) | 28.4 | (0.19) | 27.6 | (0.08) | 29.6 | (0.19) | 29.3 | (0.21) | 26.6 | (0.18) | 25.6 | (0.18) |
| Greece | 18.0 | 24.0 | 21.3 | 25.4 | 24.6 | (0.33) | 30.9 | (0.59) | 26.7 | (0.12) | 34.7 | (0.29) | 28.1 | (0.13) | 38.7 | (0.31) | 29.1 | (0.13) | 40.1 | (0.44) | 29.6 | (0.26) | 26.5 | (0.24) | 20.2 | (0.22) |
| Hungary | 14.0 | 14.7 | 17.1 | 19.6 | 20.1 | (0.10) | 26.0 | (0.24) | 22.0 | (0.11) | 30.4 | (0.26) | 23.4 | (0.12) | 32.1 | (0.28) | 24.2 | (0.26) | 32.1 | (0.49) | 26.8 | (0.41) | 20.8 | (0.45) | 17.5 | (0.44) |
| Iceland | 24.6 | 26.5 | 30.5 | 35.8 | 32.5 | (0.50) | 36.2 | (0.99) | 35.2 | (0.50) | 38.4 | (0.98) | 37.1 | (0.52) | 40.6 | (1.06) | 38.8 | (0.53) | 40.1 | (1.51) | 45.9 | (1.12) | 39.3 | (1.04) | 29.1 | (0.97) |
| Ireland | 23.6 | 47.8 | 29.1 | 40.6 | 37.3 | (0.13) | 48.2 | (0.26) | 39.7 | (0.14) | 49.2 | (0.28) | 41.0 | (0.27) | 50.8 | (0.48) | 42.8 | (0.16) | 52.0 | (0.45) | 50.8 | (0.30) | 36.7 | (0.30) | 26.9 | (0.30) |
| Israel | — | — | 45.8 | 50.0 | 45.6 | (0.20) | 44.2 | (0.38) | 46.4 | (0.20) | 44.5 | (0.38) | 48.5 | (0.20) | 46.0 | (0.38) | 48.8 | (—) | 45.9 | (—) | 53.6 | (—) | 48.0 | (—) | 47.2 | (—) |
| Italy | 10.0 | 11.8 | 12.2 | 16.1 | 14.8 | (0.07) | 20.7 | (0.19) | 15.7 | (0.08) | 22.3 | (0.21) | 16.9 | (0.08) | 24.2 | (0.22) | 17.5 | (0.07) | 25.1 | (0.26) | 20.5 | (0.15) | 13.5 | (0.11) | 12.3 | (0.12) |
| Japan5 | 34.1 | 47.7 | 39.9 | 53.2 | 44.8 | (0.20) | 56.7 | (0.40) | 46.6 | (0.19) | 58.6 | (0.40) | 27.6 | (0.17) | 36.8 | (0.40) | 49.5 | (0.19) | 59.6 | (0.40) | 53.9 | (0.38) | 47.3 | (0.42) | 38.2 | (0.45) |
| Korea, Republic of | 25.0 | 39.5 | 31.6 | 51.0 | 39.7 | (0.25) | 65.0 | (0.46) | 41.7 | (0.25) | 65.7 | (0.46) | 44.6 | (0.25) | 67.7 | (0.45) | 45.5 | (0.25) | 69.0 | (0.45) | 57.8 | (0.46) | 35.1 | (0.46) | 18.3 | (0.49) |
| Latvia | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 29.2 | (0.40) | 38.7 | (0.95) | 30.2 | (0.67) | 39.4 | (1.15) | 31.6 | (0.43) | 39.9 | (0.89) | 33.1 | (0.78) | 28.4 | (0.67) | 24.7 | (0.70) |
| Luxembourg | 18.1 | 23.4 | 26.5 | 37.0 | 35.5 | (0.46) | 44.2 | (1.08) | 39.1 | (0.36) | 49.9 | (0.83) | 45.9 | (0.57) | 52.9 | (1.35) | 39.8 | (0.37) | 49.9 | (1.13) | 46.6 | (0.76) | 33.6 | (0.67) | 26.2 | (0.68) |
| Mexico | 15.1 | 17.9 | 14.9 | 18.1 | 17.4 | (0.00) | 21.8 | (0.00) | 18.1 | (0.00) | 24.1 | (0.00) | 18.5 | (0.05) | 24.6 | (0.10) | 16.3 | (0.05) | 21.0 | (0.10) | 15.7 | (0.09) | 14.0 | (0.10) | 12.0 | (0.11) |
| Netherlands | 23.2 | 26.5 | 30.1 | 35.4 | 32.4 | (0.10) | 40.8 | (0.23) | 34.4 | (0.10) | 43.0 | (0.23) | 34.4 | (0.10) | 44.3 | (0.24) | 35.3 | (0.23) | 45.1 | (0.82) | 39.7 | (0.51) | 31.0 | (0.39) | 26.9 | (0.39) |
| New Zealand | 29.0 | 28.5 | 27.1 | 30.8 | 40.7 | (0.41) | 46.4 | (0.89) | 40.6 | (0.41) | 46.9 | (0.89) | 35.6 | (0.40) | 40.4 | (0.87) | 34.0 | (0.40) | 39.1 | (0.86) | 38.9 | (0.80) | 30.4 | (0.73) | 27.5 | (0.75) |
| Norway | 30.2 | 37.9 | 32.7 | 40.9 | 37.3 | (0.20) | 47.3 | (0.45) | 38.6 | (0.21) | 45.0 | (0.46) | 41.8 | (0.21) | 49.0 | (0.46) | 42.7 | (0.21) | 48.1 | (0.64) | 49.2 | (0.43) | 39.2 | (0.41) | 32.9 | (0.41) |
| Poland | 11.9 | 15.2 | 16.9 | 25.5 | 22.9 | (0.09) | 37.4 | (0.21) | 24.5 | (0.09) | 40.8 | (0.21) | 27.0 | (0.10) | 42.6 | (0.23) | 27.7 | (0.11) | 43.2 | (0.34) | 33.4 | (0.23) | 19.4 | (0.19) | 13.6 | (0.15) |
| Portugal | 9.2 | 13.7 | 12.8 | 19.1 | 15.4 | (0.51) | 24.8 | (1.02) | 18.5 | (0.13) | 28.3 | (0.36) | 21.7 | (0.14) | 31.4 | (0.37) | 22.9 | (0.14) | 33.1 | (0.52) | 29.0 | (0.29) | 17.1 | (0.23) | 12.9 | (0.22) |
| Slovak Republic | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.7 | 16.3 | 17.3 | (0.16) | 24.0 | (0.29) | 19.0 | (0.32) | 27.0 | (0.77) | 20.4 | (0.17) | 29.8 | (0.43) | 21.1 | (0.36) | 31.3 | (0.88) | 22.3 | (0.74) | 15.7 | (0.64) | 13.4 | (0.55) |
| Slovenia | — | — | 20.2 | 24.7 | 23.7 | (0.22) | 31.3 | (0.51) | 26.4 | (0.24) | 35.4 | (0.55) | 28.6 | (0.24) | 38.1 | (0.54) | 30.2 | (0.25) | 40.8 | (0.80) | 36.4 | (0.54) | 25.4 | (0.44) | 18.9 | (0.39) |
| Spain | 23.6 | 35.5 | 28.2 | 39.7 | 30.7 | (0.08) | 39.2 | (0.17) | 32.3 | (0.08) | 39.3 | (0.18) | 34.7 | (0.08) | 41.5 | (0.19) | 35.1 | (0.41) | 41.0 | (0.55) | 43.2 | (0.49) | 30.9 | (0.56) | 22.8 | (0.44) |
| Sweden | 25.6 | 36.9 | 29.6 | 37.3 | 34.2 | (0.11) | 42.2 | (0.23) | 35.7 | (0.11) | 43.5 | (0.24) | 38.7 | (0.12) | 46.0 | (0.25) | 39.8 | (0.12) | 46.4 | (0.37) | 47.7 | (0.25) | 34.3 | (0.23) | 29.9 | (0.22) |
| Switzerland | 25.4 | 25.6 | 28.8 | 31.0 | 35.2 | (0.16) | 40.5 | (0.39) | 36.6 | (0.18) | 40.6 | (0.46) | 40.2 | (0.17) | 46.0 | (0.41) | 41.7 | (0.21) | 48.6 | (0.52) | 46.0 | (0.42) | 39.2 | (0.36) | 32.1 | (0.37) |
| Turkey | 8.4 | 10.2 | 9.7 | 11.8 | 13.1 | (0.07) | 17.4 | (0.13) | 15.3 | (0.07) | 21.0 | (0.15) | 16.7 | (0.07) | 24.8 | (0.16) | 18.0 | (0.08) | 27.5 | (0.26) | 17.1 | (0.15) | 10.5 | (0.13) | 10.3 | (0.14) |
| United Kingdom | 26.1 | 29.5 | 29.6 | 35.0 | 38.2 | (0.21) | 46.0 | (0.46) | 41.0 | (0.11) | 47.9 | (0.23) | 42.2 | (0.11) | 49.2 | (0.23) | 43.5 | (0.22) | 49.2 | (0.66) | 49.1 | (0.45) | 39.5 | (0.42) | 35.5 | (0.44) |
| United States | 37.3 | 39.1 | 39.0 | 39.2 | 41.7 | (0.24) | 42.3 | (0.38) | 43.1 | (0.24) | 44.0 | (0.42) | 44.2 | (0.28) | 45.7 | (0.53) | 44.6 | (0.25) | 46.5 | (0.39) | 46.7 | (0.44) | 43.8 | (0.42) | 41.4 | (0.46) |
| Other reporting countries |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brazil4,6 | — | — | 7.8 | 7.9 | 10.9 | (0.07) | 11.6 | (0.12) | 13.0 | (0.07) | 14.5 | (0.12) | 14.3 | (0.20) | 16.3 | (0.26) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| China7 | 4.6 | 6.1 | — | — | 9.7 | (—) | 17.9 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Colombia3 | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 19.7 | (—) | — | (†) | 22.4 | (0.25) | 27.7 | (0.32) | 21.6 | (0.25) | 27.4 | (0.32) | 22.9 | (0.35) | 17.1 | (0.33) | 14.8 | (0.38) |
| Costa Rica | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 18.0 | (—) | 20.0 | (—) | 23.0 | (0.96) | 28.1 | (1.66) | 22.1 | (1.39) | 19.4 | (1.56) | 20.2 | (1.71) |
| Indonesia2,3,6 | — | — | — | — | 7.5 | (—) | — | (†) | 8.5 | (—) | 10.3 | (—) | 8.3 | (—) | 10.6 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Lithuania | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 36.7 | (0.26) | 52.6 | (0.69) | 38.7 | (0.27) | 54.8 | (1.00) | 40.8 | (0.57) | 31.2 | (0.44) | 29.5 | (0.47) |
| Russian Federation2 | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 53.5 | (—) | 57.0 | (—) | 54.3 | (0.11) | 58.2 | (0.22) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Saudi Arabia4 | — | — | 14.9 | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 22.7 | (—) | 25.8 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| South Africa | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 6.6 | (—) | 5.2 | (—) | 14.6 | (—) | 14.2 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 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. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Data from 2013 reported for 2014. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Data from 2011 reported for 2012. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Data from 2004 reported for 2005. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Data for 2014 exclude short-cycle tertiary education, which corresponds to the associate's degree in the United States. Data for 2015 include postsecondary non-higher-education. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Data from 2009 reported for 2010. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Data from 2000 reported for 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Data in this table include all tertiary degrees, which correspond to all degrees at the associate’s level and above in the United States. The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) was revised in 2011. The previous version, ISCED 1997, was used to calculate all data for years prior to 2014 (with the exception of China’s 2010 data, which were calculated using ISCED 2011). ISCED 2011 was used to calculate all data for 2014 and later years (with the exception of 2014 data for Indonesia, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, which were calculated using ISCED 1997). Under ISCED 2011, tertiary degrees are classified at the following levels: level 5 (corresponding to an associate's degree in the United States), level 6 (a bachelor's or equivalent degree), level 7 (a master's or equivalent degree), and level 8 (a doctoral or equivalent degree). Standard errors are not available for 2001 and 2005. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance, selected years, 2003 through 2016; and Online Education Database, retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx. (This table was prepared October 2016.) |
