Bulgaria Tertiary Enrollment
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) SE.TER.ENRR
Bulgaria's tertiary enrollment was 79.43% in 2025, ranked 40th globally. This represents a 0.5% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2000–2025.
Overview
Bulgaria's tertiary enrollment stood at 79.43% in 2025, a decline of +0.42pp from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 79.43% by 2025. Bulgaria ranked 40th globally.
Bulgaria’s tertiary enrollment rate has risen sharply over the past 25 years, climbing from 42.34 % in 2000 to 79.43 % in 2025, which places the country at 40th position globally. The upward trajectory accelerated after the early‑2000s trough of 41.04 % in 2001 and peaked at 85.53 % in 2020 before a modest decline to the current level. This expansion mirrors the rapid growth observed in peer nations such as Poland (79.76 %) and Ireland (77.63 %), suggesting that regional policy reforms and increased public investment in higher education have been effective. The slight post‑peak dip may reflect demographic stagnation and labour‑market saturation, yet the long‑run trend remains firmly upward. Continued alignment of tertiary programmes with emerging economic sectors and sustained funding are likely to restore the upward momentum and push enrollment closer to the levels recorded at the 2020 peak.
Data & projection
| Year | Tertiary Enrollment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 78.31% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 79.43% | - | - |
| 2025 | 79.43% | −0.42pp | #40 |
| 2023 | 79.85% | −4.28pp | #25 |
| 2022 | 84.13% | −1.17pp | #18 |
| 2021 | 85.30% | −0.23pp | #20 |
| 2020 | 85.53% | +0.78pp | #18 |
| 2019 | 84.75% | +1.62pp | #16 |
| 2018 | 83.13% | +1.91pp | #18 |
| 2017 | 81.22% | +0.58pp | #23 |
| 2016 | 80.64% | +2.34pp | #19 |
| 2015 | 78.30% | +5.32pp | #20 |
| 2014 | 72.98% | +4.78pp | #23 |
| 2013 | 68.20% | +6.04pp | #26 |
| 2012 | 62.16% | +2.34pp | #32 |
| 2011 | 59.82% | +1.47pp | #38 |
| 2010 | 58.35% | +3.35pp | #37 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Bulgaria matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw tertiary enrollment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Bulgaria's tertiary enrollment was 79.43% in 2025. Ranked 40th globally. This represents a 0.5% decrease from the previous year.
Bulgaria's tertiary enrollment peaked at 85.53% in 2020.
The lowest tertiary enrollment in Bulgaria was 41.04% in 2001.
Bulgaria ranks 40th globally in tertiary enrollment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.TER.ENRR. Data sourced from World Bank.
Bulgaria's tertiary enrollment is projected to reach 79.43% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The tertiary enrollment of Bulgaria in 2025 was 79.43%. This ranks 40th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_bulgaria_tertiary-enrollment,
title = {Bulgaria Tertiary Enrollment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/bulgaria/tertiary-enrollment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}