Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa
South Africa: Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate was 23.49 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tertiary gross enrollment rate in South Africa is 23.49, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and up 26.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tertiary gross enrollment rate in South Africa peaked at 23.73 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.99, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 125th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.99 | — |
| 1973 | 4.39 | +10.1% |
| 1988 | 10.52 | +139.6% |
| 1989 | 11.33 | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 11.44 | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 11.85 | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 12.33 | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 13.62 | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 15.7 | +15.3% |
| 2010 | 16.58 | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 17.61 | +6.2% |
| 2012 | 17.94 | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 18.61 | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 18.48 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 19.03 | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 18.93 | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 21.09 | +11.4% |
| 2018 | 22.35 | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 22.24 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 22.61 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 22.34 | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 23.73 | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 23.49 | -1.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 23.49 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 45.78, 51% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 23.49 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 9.95, 2.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +139.6% | 4.39 | 10.52 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.19 | 3.99 | 4.39 | 2 |
| 1980s | 10.92 | 10.52 | 11.33 | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.99 | 11.44 | 15.7 | 5 |
| 2010s | 19.29 | 16.58 | 22.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.04 | 22.34 | 23.73 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 122 Cape Verde 24.29 compare
- 123 Trinidad and Tobago 23.85 compare
- 124 Bangladesh 23.73 compare
- 126 Honduras 23.32 compare
- 127 Luxembourg 22.41 compare
- 128 Cambodia 21.44 compare
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tertiary gross enrollment rate in South Africa?
- Tertiary gross enrollment rate in South Africa was 23.49 in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest tertiary gross enrollment rate recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.73 in 2022.
- What is the lowest tertiary gross enrollment rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.99 in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for tertiary gross enrollment rate?
- South Africa ranks 125th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
- Is tertiary gross enrollment rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.