Liberia Tertiary Enrollment
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) SE.TER.ENRR
Liberia's tertiary enrollment was 10.84% in 2012, ranked 114th globally. This represents a 20.3% increase from 2011. Data from World Bank, covering 1970–2012.
Overview
Liberia's tertiary enrollment stood at 10.84% in 2012, a rise of +1.83pp from 2010. Liberia ranked 114th globally.
Liberia’s tertiary enrollment rate rose from a trough of 0.90 % in 1970 to a peak of 18.53 % in 2000, before settling at 10.84 % in 2012, placing the country 114th in the world. The 12‑year coverage of post‑secondary education remains modest, yet the 2012 figure is virtually identical to Lesotho’s 10.85 % and only slightly below Togo’s 10.71 %, suggesting that Liberia is keeping pace with peers that share similar development constraints. The sharp increase between 1970 and 2000 reflects expanded public investment and donor‑supported university construction, while the subsequent decline points to fiscal pressures and limited private sector participation. Despite the recent stabilization, the enrollment rate still lags behind Ghana’s 11.49 % and Comoros’ 10.54 %, indicating room for improvement. Continued reforms in financing, quality assurance, and alignment with labor‑market needs could reverse the modest downward drift and sustain higher participation in higher education.
Data & projection
| Year | Tertiary Enrollment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 10.84% | +1.83pp | #114 |
| 2010 | 9.01% | −9.52pp | #109 |
| 2000 | 18.53% | +10.76pp | #59 |
| 1999 | 7.76% | +5.33pp | #40 |
| 1987 | 2.44% | +0.13pp | #45 |
| 1979 | 2.30% | +0.61pp | #33 |
| 1978 | 1.70% | +0.03pp | #35 |
| 1975 | 1.67% | +0.40pp | #34 |
| 1973 | 1.27% | +0.20pp | #36 |
| 1972 | 1.07% | +0.12pp | #35 |
| 1971 | 0.95% | +0.05pp | #39 |
| 1970 | 0.90% | – | #14 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Liberia matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2008. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw tertiary enrollment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Liberia's tertiary enrollment was 10.84% in 2012. Ranked 114th globally. This represents a 20.3% increase from the previous year.
Liberia's tertiary enrollment peaked at 18.53% in 2000.
The lowest tertiary enrollment in Liberia was 0.90% in 1970.
Liberia ranks 114th globally in tertiary enrollment as of 2012.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.TER.ENRR. Data sourced from World Bank.
The tertiary enrollment of Liberia in 2012 was 10.84%. This ranks 114th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_liberia_tertiary-enrollment,
title = {Liberia Tertiary Enrollment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/liberia/tertiary-enrollment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}