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Statistics · Country
Adults with higher education in United States
2000 – 2024 · 23 data points
2 of 4 · Countries
Updated Oct 22, 2026
Source: OECD Regional Database, 2000 – 2024
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overview
6 figures
people
18 figures
economy
18 figures
housing
6 figures
education
10 figures
tourism
3 figures
climate
3 figures
Latest value · 2024
47.8%
+0.7 pp
since 2023
Countries · 2024
2 of 4
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2014
+3.6 pp
Adults with higher education, 2000 – 2024 percent
+3.6 pp since 2014
0%
20%
40%
60%
2000
2010
2015
2024
Source: OECD Regional Database, 2000 – 2024
The series at a glance United States · 2000 – 2024
Latest value
47.8% · 2024
First value
34.5% · 2000
Highest
48.3% · 2019
Lowest
34.5% · 2000
Data points
23
By year
All years · 2000 – 2024
| Year | United States | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 47.8% | +0.7 pp |
| 2023 | 47.1% | +0.9 pp |
| 2021 | 46.2% | −2.1 pp |
| 2019 | 48.3% | +0.9 pp |
| 2018 | 47.4% | +1.0 pp |
| 2017 | 46.4% | +0.7 pp |
| 2016 | 45.7% | +1.1 pp |
| 2015 | 44.6% | +0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 44.2% | +0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 43.9% | +0.8 pp |
| 2012 | 43.1% | +0.7 pp |
| 2011 | 42.4% | +0.7 pp |
| 2010 | 41.7% | +0.5 pp |
| 2009 | 41.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 41.1% | +0.8 pp |
| 2007 | 40.3% | +0.8 pp |
| 2006 | 39.5% | +2.1 pp |
| 2005 | 37.4% | +0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 37.1% | +0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 36.4% | +0.8 pp |
| 2002 | 35.6% | +0.5 pp |
| 2001 | 35.1% | +0.6 pp |
| 2000 | 34.5% |
Source: OECD Regional Database, 2000 – 2024
Ranking · Countries
2020 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Adults with higher education | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Mexico | 19.4% | |
| 5 | Colombia | 24.6% | |
| 4 | Chile | 31.4% | |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 49.4% | |
| 2 | South Korea | 57.4% | |
| 1 | Canada | 60.0% |
Source: OECD Regional Database, 2020
What it means
The share of adults with a university or other tertiary degree.
How it is calculated
People aged 25–64 whose highest completed education is tertiary (ISCED 5–8) divided by all people of that age.
education
United States in numbers