Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Tertiary Enrollment
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) SE.TER.ENRR
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's tertiary enrollment was 26.72% in 2018, ranked 96th globally. This represents a 4.4% decrease from 2017. Data from World Bank, covering 2009–2018.
Overview
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's tertiary enrollment stood at 26.72% in 2018, a decline of +1.22pp from 2015. Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranked 96th globally.
North Korea’s tertiary enrollment fell from its all‑time peak of 30.13 % in 2009 to a trough of 26.72 % in 2018, placing the country 96th globally in the most recent year. The four‑year coverage of the series shows a modest but steady decline, indicating that fewer students are entering higher education despite government rhetoric emphasizing scientific and technological development. Compared with its closest peers, the enrollment rate remains lower than Brunei Darussalam’s 27.93 % and the Philippines’ 28.12 % while slightly above Belize’s 24.59 %. The downward trajectory may reflect limited expansion of university capacity, persistent resource constraints, and the impact of economic sanctions that restrict access to foreign curricula and funding. If the regime were to invest in new campuses, broaden scholarship programmes, and ease external restrictions, the enrollment curve could stabilize or even reverse, allowing the country to close the gap with regional counterparts.
Data & projection
| Year | Tertiary Enrollment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 26.72% | −1.22pp | #96 |
| 2015 | 27.94% | −1.88pp | #96 |
| 2011 | 29.82% | −0.31pp | #75 |
| 2009 | 30.13% | – | #69 |
Analysis
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's tertiary enrollment was 26.72% in 2018, a decline of −1.22pp from 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's tertiary enrollment was 26.72% in 2018. Ranked 96th globally. This represents a 4.4% decrease from the previous year.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's tertiary enrollment peaked at 30.13% in 2009.
The lowest tertiary enrollment in Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of was 26.72% in 2018.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranks 96th globally in tertiary enrollment as of 2018.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.TER.ENRR. Data sourced from World Bank.
The tertiary enrollment of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of in 2018 was 26.72%. This ranks 96th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of_tertiary-enrollment,
title = {Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Tertiary Enrollment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of/tertiary-enrollment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}