Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa

South Africa: Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate was 23.49 in 2023. β–² Rising

Latest (2023)
23.49
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
125th
of 193 countries
All-time high
23.73
in 2022
All-time low
3.99
in 1970
Years of data
23
1970–2023

Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa, 1970–2023

5101520251970199620231970: 41973: 4.41988: 10.51989: 11.31990: 11.41991: 11.81992: 12.31993: 13.61994: 15.72010: 16.62011: 17.62012: 17.92013: 18.62014: 18.52015: 192016: 18.92017: 21.12018: 22.42019: 22.22020: 22.62021: 22.32022: 23.72023: 23.5

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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 122 Cabo Verde 24.29 compare
  2. 123 Trinidad and Tobago 23.85 compare
  3. 124 Bangladesh 23.73 compare
  4. 126 Honduras 23.32 compare
  5. 127 Luxembourg 22.41 compare
  6. 128 Cambodia 21.44 compare

See the full ranking of 194 places β†’

More gender data for South Africa

All data for South Africa β†’

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.

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Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/tertiary-gross-enrollment-rate/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Tertiary Gross Enrollment Rate
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
194 places, 6,519 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Gender-disaggregated data on educational outcomes.