Top 100 Countries by Tertiary Education Enrollment, 2026

What the Gross Tertiary Enrollment Ratio Measures

The indicator covers ISCED levels 5–8: short-cycle tertiary education, bachelor’s or equivalent programs, master’s or equivalent programs, and doctoral or equivalent programs. It divides total tertiary enrollment at all ages by the population in the five-year age group that follows upper secondary education, then multiplies by 100.

A value of 80% does not mean that 80% of the entire population is studying at a university. A value above 100% means that enrollment across all ages is larger than the narrower reference-age population used in the denominator.

The measure is useful for comparing participation but does not directly measure completion, educational attainment, teaching quality, affordability, research performance or graduate employment.

Ten Highest Gross Tertiary Enrollment Ratios

The leading values reflect broad participation across different ages and study pathways. They should not be interpreted as a ranking of university quality.

1. 1Greece165.11%
2. 2Cyprus120.88%
3. 3Korea, Rep.111.85%
4. 4Finland110.30%
5. 5Chile110.18%
6. 6Australia108.42%
7. 7Argentina107.82%
8. 8Turkiye105.89%
9. 9Singapore97.29%
10. 10Norway95.50%

Ranks use full-precision values; displayed ratios are rounded to two decimal places.

Why Gross Enrollment Ratios Differ Between Countries

Explaining one country’s position requires additional evidence on student age, mobility, program duration and completion.

Method Used for the 2026 Ranking

Formula: total enrollment in tertiary education at ISCED levels 5–8, regardless of age, divided by the population in the five-year age group immediately following upper secondary education, multiplied by 100.

The World Bank spreadsheet provides country values but not separate UIS reporting flags for each row. The table therefore presents the values and years as distributed in WDI without adding a more specific reported, estimated or imputed classification.

Limitations: the metric does not standardize program duration across countries and should not be read as a measure of quality, completion or attainment.

Full Ranking of 100 Countries

Search for a country, select a region or change the display order.

Gross tertiary enrollment ratio, percent

Patterns in the Top 100

How to Interpret a Country’s Position

A higher rank means a larger participation ratio, not a better tertiary education system. High values may reflect broad access, adult learning, longer study duration, repeat enrollment, international students or a relatively small reference-age population.

For a fuller comparison, use this indicator alongside attainment, completion rates, expenditure per student, equity measures and labor-market outcomes.

Small differences between neighboring countries should not be treated as proof of a meaningful current gap, particularly when their observation years differ.

Questions About Gross Tertiary Enrollment

Data and Method Sources