Ranked: Countries With the Most College Graduates

Ranked: Countries With the Most College Graduates

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Higher education is becoming the norm in some countries, while remaining out of reach in others.

This chart ranks countries by the share of adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education—including college degrees and equivalent programs—based on data from OECD’s Education at a Glance 2025.

Canada leads at 63%, and a number of advanced economies have crossed the 50% threshold, highlighting how college education is becoming more widespread in the global workforce.

Countries like Ireland, Japan, and South Korea are part of this group where a majority of adults now hold a college degree, marking a shift toward higher-skilled labor markets.

Canada Is the Only Country Above 60%

Canada tops the ranking at 63%, making it the only country where nearly two-thirds of adults hold a college degree. The United States is at 51%, just above the OECD average of 42%.

This reflects decades of investment in higher education systems and sustained demand for skilled labor.

Country	% with higher education
Canada	63
Ireland	58
Japan	57
Korea	56
Luxembourg	54
United Kingdom	54
Australia	53
Sweden	52
Israel	51
United States	51
Norway	50
Lithuania	48
Switzerland	46
Belgium	45
Denmark	45
Netherlands	45
Iceland	44
New Zealand	44
Estonia	43
Finland	43
France	43
Spain	42
Latvia	40
Poland	39
Peru	39
Austria	38
Greece	35
Slovenia	35
Germany	34
Bulgaria	34
Chile	33
Colombia	31
Hungary	31
Portugal	31
Croatia	30
Slovak Republic	29
Costa Rica	28
Türkiye	27
Czechia	25
Argentina	24
Italy	22
Mexico	22
Brazil	22
China	19
Romania	19
India	14
Indonesia	13
South Africa	9
OECD average	42

Europe Spans From 58% to Below 25%

Europe shows one of the widest internal gaps in education attainment.

Ireland ranks among global leaders at 58%, while countries like Italy (22%) fall far behind, highlighting uneven access to higher education across the region.

Major Economies Still Below 20%

Some of the world’s largest economies remain well below OECD levels. China (19%), India (14%), and Indonesia (13%) show how access to higher education is still expanding, with important implications for future workforce development.

As these economies grow, expanding access to higher education will play a critical role in productivity, income growth, and global competitiveness as demand for skilled labor rises.

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• Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/ranked-countries-with-the-most-college-graduates/