(238KB)| Table 603.20. | Percentage of the population 25 to 64 years old who attained any postsecondary degree, by age group and country: Selected years, 2000 through 2016 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2014 | 2015 | 20161 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 |
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||||||||||
| OECD average2 | 21.6 | 25.9 | 26.5 | 32.3 | 30.5 | (0.08) | 37.6 | (0.18) | 34.2 | (0.05) | 41.5 | (0.12) | 34.5 | (0.05) | 41.8 | (0.10) | 35.7 | (0.04) | 43.1 | (0.09) | 40.5 | (0.09) | 32.1 | (0.08) | 26.5 | (0.08) |
| Australia | 27.5 | 31.4 | 31.7 | 38.1 | 37.6 | (—) | 44.4 | (—) | 41.9 | (—) | 48.1 | (—) | 42.9 | (0.30) | 48.5 | (0.60) | 43.7 | (0.30) | 49.3 | (0.59) | 48.8 | (0.59) | 40.0 | (0.58) | 35.0 | (0.60) |
| Austria | — | — | 24.6 | 30.6 | 27.7 | (0.14) | 33.9 | (0.33) | 29.9 | (0.15) | 38.4 | (0.34) | 30.6 | (0.15) | 38.6 | (0.35) | 31.4 | (0.15) | 39.7 | (0.34) | 35.1 | (0.32) | 28.0 | (0.26) | 22.9 | (0.27) |
| Belgium | 27.1 | 36.0 | 31.0 | 40.6 | 35.0 | (—) | 43.8 | (—) | 36.9 | (0.20) | 44.2 | (0.44) | 36.9 | (0.21) | 43.1 | (0.45) | 37.5 | (0.21) | 44.3 | (0.46) | 43.2 | (0.43) | 35.1 | (0.39) | 27.5 | (0.37) |
| Canada | 40.1 | 48.4 | 46.0 | 53.7 | 50.3 | (—) | 56.2 | (—) | 53.6 | (—) | 57.7 | (—) | 55.2 | (—) | 59.2 | (—) | 56.3 | (0.20) | 60.6 | (0.38) | 62.8 | (0.35) | 55.7 | (0.34) | 46.2 | (0.34) |
| Chile | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 22.5 | (0.11) | 29.9 | (0.24) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Czech Republic | 11.0 | 11.2 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 16.8 | (—) | 22.6 | (—) | 21.5 | (0.12) | 29.9 | (0.30) | 22.2 | (0.12) | 31.0 | (0.31) | 23.0 | (0.13) | 32.6 | (0.32) | 23.6 | (0.24) | 19.6 | (0.24) | 15.5 | (0.20) |
| Denmark | 25.8 | 29.3 | 33.5 | 39.8 | 33.3 | (—) | 37.6 | (—) | 35.8 | (—) | 42.1 | (—) | 37.1 | (0.21) | 44.5 | (0.49) | 38.2 | (0.22) | 45.9 | (0.51) | 43.5 | (0.47) | 34.5 | (0.41) | 29.9 | (0.39) |
| Estonia | 28.7 | 28.7 | 33.0 | 32.9 | 35.4 | (0.46) | 38.0 | (1.03) | 37.5 | (0.42) | 40.4 | (0.89) | 38.0 | (0.42) | 40.5 | (0.89) | 38.8 | (0.42) | 41.0 | (0.89) | 40.1 | (0.84) | 37.5 | (0.81) | 36.1 | (0.84) |
| Finland | 32.6 | 38.7 | 34.6 | 37.5 | 38.1 | (—) | 39.2 | (—) | 41.8 | (0.17) | 40.3 | (0.37) | 42.7 | (0.30) | 40.5 | (0.68) | 43.6 | (0.19) | 41.1 | (0.40) | 51.4 | (0.40) | 45.6 | (0.38) | 37.0 | (0.35) |
| France | 21.6 | 31.4 | 25.4 | 39.8 | 29.0 | (—) | 42.9 | (—) | 33.5 | (0.10) | 44.7 | (0.23) | 34.1 | (0.09) | 44.7 | (0.22) | 34.6 | (0.09) | 44.0 | (0.22) | 43.5 | (0.20) | 29.3 | (0.17) | 22.1 | (0.15) |
| Germany | 23.5 | 22.3 | 24.6 | 22.5 | 26.6 | (—) | 26.1 | (—) | 27.1 | (0.07) | 28.4 | (0.16) | 27.6 | (0.07) | 29.6 | (0.16) | 28.3 | (0.07) | 30.5 | (0.16) | 29.8 | (0.16) | 27.1 | (0.13) | 26.3 | (0.14) |
| Greece | 17.7 | 23.9 | 21.5 | 25.7 | 24.7 | (0.11) | 31.2 | (0.24) | 28.1 | (0.13) | 38.7 | (0.31) | 29.1 | (0.13) | 40.1 | (0.32) | 30.2 | (0.13) | 41.0 | (0.32) | 31.3 | (0.26) | 28.2 | (0.23) | 20.9 | (0.21) |
| Hungary | 14.0 | 14.7 | 17.1 | 19.6 | 20.1 | (—) | 26.0 | (—) | 23.4 | (0.12) | 32.1 | (0.28) | 24.2 | (0.12) | 32.1 | (0.29) | 23.7 | (0.12) | 30.4 | (0.29) | 26.6 | (0.24) | 20.6 | (0.23) | 17.2 | (0.20) |
| Iceland | — | — | 29.5 | 34.5 | 32.6 | (0.50) | 36.2 | (0.99) | 37.1 | (0.52) | 40.6 | (1.06) | 38.8 | (0.53) | 40.1 | (1.08) | 40.5 | (0.55) | 43.3 | (1.16) | 48.5 | (1.14) | 39.9 | (1.06) | 28.9 | (1.00) |
| Ireland | 21.6 | 29.8 | 29.1 | 40.7 | 37.6 | (—) | 48.3 | (—) | 41.0 | (—) | 50.8 | (—) | 42.8 | (0.16) | 52.0 | (0.34) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Israel | — | — | 43.0 | 42.9 | 45.6 | (—) | 44.2 | (—) | 48.5 | (—) | 46.0 | (—) | 48.8 | (—) | 45.9 | (—) | 49.9 | (0.13) | 47.4 | (0.25) | 54.8 | (0.24) | 49.0 | (0.26) | 47.6 | (0.27) |
| Italy | 9.4 | 10.4 | 12.2 | 16.1 | 14.8 | (—) | 20.7 | (—) | 16.9 | (0.07) | 24.2 | (0.19) | 17.5 | (0.07) | 25.1 | (0.19) | 17.7 | (0.07) | 25.6 | (0.19) | 20.5 | (0.15) | 14.0 | (0.12) | 12.4 | (0.12) |
| Japan3 | 33.6 | 47.8 | 39.9 | 53.2 | 44.8 | (—) | 56.7 | (—) | 48.2 | (—) | 58.6 | (—) | 49.5 | (—) | 59.6 | (—) | 50.5 | (0.19) | 60.1 | (0.40) | 55.1 | (0.37) | 47.8 | (0.42) | 39.7 | (0.45) |
| Korea, Republic of | 23.9 | 36.9 | 31.6 | 51.0 | 39.7 | (—) | 65.0 | (—) | 44.6 | (—) | 67.7 | (—) | 45.5 | (—) | 69.0 | (—) | 46.9 | (0.25) | 70.0 | (0.45) | 59.8 | (0.46) | 37.8 | (0.47) | 19.7 | (0.50) |
| Latvia | 18.2 | 17.3 | 20.3 | 21.7 | 26.9 | (0.32) | 34.7 | (0.74) | 30.2 | (0.31) | 39.4 | (0.74) | 31.6 | (0.32) | 39.9 | (0.76) | 33.4 | (0.32) | 42.1 | (0.76) | 36.3 | (0.69) | 28.0 | (0.58) | 27.0 | (0.57) |
| Luxembourg | 18.3 | 22.9 | 26.5 | 37.0 | 35.5 | (—) | 44.2 | (—) | 45.9 | (0.57) | 52.9 | (1.36) | 39.8 | (0.37) | 49.9 | (0.82) | 42.9 | (0.47) | 51.4 | (1.07) | 51.2 | (0.96) | 37.4 | (0.87) | 27.5 | (0.80) |
| Mexico | 14.6 | 17.5 | 12.7 | 14.9 | 14.7 | (0.08) | 17.7 | (0.16) | 16.0 | (0.08) | 20.3 | (0.17) | 16.3 | (0.08) | 20.8 | (0.17) | 16.8 | (0.09) | 21.8 | (0.17) | 16.3 | (0.16) | 14.2 | (0.16) | 12.6 | (0.19) |
| Netherlands | 23.4 | 26.6 | 30.1 | 35.4 | 32.4 | (—) | 40.8 | (—) | 34.4 | (—) | 44.3 | (—) | 35.3 | (—) | 45.1 | (—) | 36.0 | (0.23) | 45.2 | (0.58) | 40.9 | (0.51) | 31.9 | (0.40) | 27.4 | (0.39) |
| New Zealand | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 35.6 | (—) | 40.4 | (—) | 34.0 | (—) | 39.1 | (—) | 36.3 | (0.35) | 43.4 | (0.76) | 40.6 | (0.73) | 32.2 | (0.65) | 28.2 | (0.67) |
| Norway | — | — | 32.7 | 40.9 | 37.3 | (—) | 47.3 | (—) | 41.8 | (0.21) | 49.0 | (0.46) | 42.7 | (0.21) | 48.1 | (0.45) | 43.0 | (0.21) | 48.6 | (0.45) | 48.7 | (0.42) | 40.4 | (0.40) | 33.0 | (0.41) |
| Poland | 11.4 | 14.2 | 16.9 | 25.5 | 22.5 | (—) | 37.1 | (—) | 27.0 | (—) | 42.6 | (—) | 27.7 | (—) | 43.2 | (—) | 28.7 | (0.11) | 43.5 | (0.25) | 35.3 | (0.23) | 20.4 | (0.20) | 13.9 | (0.15) |
| Portugal | 8.8 | 12.9 | 12.8 | 19.1 | 15.4 | (—) | 24.8 | (—) | 21.7 | (0.14) | 31.4 | (0.37) | 22.9 | (0.14) | 33.1 | (0.39) | 23.8 | (0.15) | 35.0 | (0.41) | 30.5 | (0.30) | 18.0 | (0.24) | 13.1 | (0.22) |
| Slovak Republic | 10.4 | 11.2 | 14.0 | 16.3 | 17.3 | (—) | 24.0 | (—) | 20.4 | (0.35) | 29.8 | (0.86) | 21.1 | (0.36) | 31.3 | (0.88) | 22.0 | (0.37) | 33.4 | (0.91) | 23.0 | (0.75) | 15.7 | (0.66) | 13.9 | (0.55) |
| Slovenia | 15.7 | 19.3 | 20.2 | 24.7 | 23.7 | (—) | 31.3 | (—) | 28.6 | (—) | 38.1 | (—) | 30.2 | (0.25) | 40.8 | (0.57) | 30.7 | (0.25) | 43.0 | (0.57) | 36.7 | (0.54) | 25.3 | (0.44) | 19.1 | (0.40) |
| Spain | 22.7 | 34.0 | 28.5 | 40.7 | 31.0 | (0.08) | 40.3 | (0.17) | 34.7 | (0.08) | 41.5 | (0.19) | 35.1 | (0.08) | 41.0 | (0.19) | 35.7 | (0.08) | 41.0 | (0.20) | 44.1 | (0.16) | 32.6 | (0.15) | 23.2 | (0.14) |
| Sweden | 30.1 | 33.6 | 29.6 | 37.3 | 33.9 | (0.11) | 42.2 | (0.23) | 38.7 | (0.12) | 46.0 | (0.25) | 39.8 | (0.12) | 46.4 | (0.26) | 41.1 | (0.13) | 47.2 | (0.26) | 49.3 | (0.26) | 36.2 | (0.24) | 30.8 | (0.23) |
| Switzerland | 24.2 | 25.6 | 28.8 | 31.0 | 33.9 | (0.16) | 37.4 | (0.39) | 38.4 | (0.17) | 44.2 | (0.41) | 39.8 | (0.17) | 46.5 | (0.41) | 41.2 | (0.17) | 48.8 | (0.42) | 46.1 | (0.34) | 37.9 | (0.31) | 31.6 | (0.33) |
| Turkey | 8.3 | 8.9 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 13.1 | (—) | 17.4 | (—) | 16.7 | (—) | 24.8 | (—) | 18.0 | (—) | 27.5 | (—) | 19.4 | (0.08) | 30.5 | (0.20) | 18.5 | (0.16) | 11.0 | (0.13) | 10.2 | (0.14) |
| United Kingdom | 25.7 | 28.9 | 29.7 | 35.3 | 38.2 | (—) | 46.0 | (—) | 42.2 | (0.22) | 49.2 | (0.46) | 44.2 | (0.23) | 49.9 | (0.48) | 46.0 | (0.23) | 52.0 | (0.48) | 51.6 | (0.46) | 42.0 | (0.43) | 37.6 | (0.45) |
| United States4 | 36.5 | 38.1 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 41.7 | (0.24) | 42.3 | (0.38) | 44.2 | (0.28) | 45.7 | (0.53) | 44.6 | (0.25) | 46.5 | (0.39) | 45.7 | (0.27) | 47.5 | (0.45) | 48.3 | (0.46) | 44.9 | (0.45) | 41.9 | (0.51) |
| Other reporting countries |
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| Argentina | — | — | 17.5 | 16.8 | — | (†) | — | (†) | 20.5 | (—) | 18.8 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Brazil | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 14.3 | (0.08) | 16.3 | (0.15) | 14.8 | (0.08) | 16.6 | (0.16) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| China | — | — | — | — | 9.7 | (—) | 17.9 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Colombia | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 22.4 | (0.07) | 27.7 | (0.13) | 21.6 | (0.07) | 27.4 | (0.13) | 22.2 | (0.07) | 28.1 | (0.13) | 24.0 | (0.14) | 17.8 | (0.13) | 14.8 | (0.13) |
| Costa Rica | 16.4 | 17.5 | 20.8 | 24.1 | 21.0 | (0.37) | 26.1 | (0.70) | 23.5 | (0.37) | 28.7 | (0.71) | 23.1 | (0.37) | 28.3 | (0.70) | 23.0 | (0.37) | 28.9 | (0.72) | 20.7 | (0.71) | 19.2 | (0.70) | 21.3 | (0.86) |
| Indonesia | — | — | — | — | 7.0 | (—) | 8.6 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | 9.8 | (—) | 12.6 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Lithuania | 41.8 | 39.7 | 26.5 | 36.9 | 32.4 | (0.27) | 46.3 | (0.68) | 36.7 | (—) | 52.6 | (—) | 38.7 | (0.27) | 54.8 | (0.71) | 39.7 | (0.27) | 54.9 | (0.70) | 44.6 | (0.58) | 30.5 | (0.44) | 30.7 | (0.47) |
| Russian Federation | — | — | — | — | 53.1 | (—) | 56.0 | (—) | 54.8 | (—) | 59.3 | (—) | 55.6 | (—) | 59.8 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| Saudi Arabia | — | — | — | — | — | (†) | — | (†) | 23.2 | (—) | 25.8 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| South Africa | — | — | — | — | 11.2 | (—) | 9.5 | (—) | 11.9 | (—) | 10.6 | (—) | 12.0 | (—) | 10.1 | (—) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) | — | (†) |
| —Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 For 2016, standard errors for the following countries were estimated by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): Canada, Korea, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, and Turkey. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. Standard errors for the OECD average were estimated by NCES. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Data for all years include some upper secondary and postsecondary nontertiary awards (i.e., awards that are below the associate's degree level). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 U.S. standard errors for all years were estimated by NCES. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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. ISCED 2011 was used to calculate all data for 2014 and later years (with the exception of data for China, Indonesia, 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). Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Unless otherwise noted, all data in this table were calculated by OECD or the relevant country and had been validated for consistency and accuracy by OECD and the relevant country as of September 28, 2017. For more information on OECD and NCES estimation methodology used for this table, see the "Online Education Database" section of the entry for OECD in Appendix A: Guide to Sources. Standard errors for 2000 and 2005 have been excluded due to limited data availability. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Online Education Database, retrieved October 20, 2017, from http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx. (This table was prepared October 2017.) |