New Zealand Tertiary Enrollment
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) SE.TER.ENRR
New Zealand's tertiary enrollment was 76.77% in 2025, ranked 44th globally. This represents a 0.5% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2013–2025.
Overview
New Zealand's tertiary enrollment stood at 76.77% in 2025, a rise of +0.39pp from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 76.77% by 2025. New Zealand ranked 44th globally.
New Zealand’s tertiary enrollment rate stood at 76.77 percent in 2025, placing the country 44th in the world and slightly below peers such as the Russian Federation (77.57 percent) and Ireland (77.63 percent). After a gradual decline from an all‑time peak of 82.18 percent in 2015, the share of the population aged 25‑34 enrolled in higher education fell to a trough of 75.73 percent in 2020, before recovering modestly over the subsequent five years. The 12‑year coverage of the series shows that the post‑COVID‑19 period did not reverse the downward momentum, as enrollment remains well below the 2013 level of 80.39 percent. Structural factors such as demographic aging, tuition cost pressures and competition from alternative credentials have constrained growth, while policy initiatives aimed at widening participation have yielded only incremental gains. Continued emphasis on affordable pathways and digital learning could stabilize the trajectory and potentially lift the rate toward pre‑2020 levels.
Data & projection
| Year | Tertiary Enrollment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 76.66% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 76.77% | - | - |
| 2025 | 76.77% | +0.39pp | #44 |
| 2023 | 76.38% | −0.63pp | #34 |
| 2022 | 77.01% | −2.40pp | #32 |
| 2021 | 79.41% | +3.68pp | #26 |
| 2020 | 75.73% | −1.85pp | #27 |
| 2019 | 77.58% | −3.67pp | #25 |
| 2018 | 81.25% | −0.02pp | #22 |
| 2017 | 81.27% | −0.59pp | #21 |
| 2016 | 81.86% | −0.32pp | #18 |
| 2015 | 82.18% | +1.47pp | #17 |
| 2014 | 80.71% | +0.32pp | #17 |
| 2013 | 80.39% | – | #13 |
Analysis
New Zealand's tertiary enrollment was 76.77% in 2025, a rise of +0.39pp from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 76.77% by 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
New Zealand's tertiary enrollment was 76.77% in 2025. Ranked 44th globally. This represents a 0.5% increase from the previous year.
New Zealand's tertiary enrollment peaked at 82.18% in 2015.
The lowest tertiary enrollment in New Zealand was 75.73% in 2020.
New Zealand ranks 44th globally in tertiary enrollment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.TER.ENRR. Data sourced from World Bank.
New Zealand's tertiary enrollment is projected to reach 76.77% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The tertiary enrollment of New Zealand in 2025 was 76.77%. This ranks 44th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_new-zealand_tertiary-enrollment,
title = {New Zealand Tertiary Enrollment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/new-zealand/tertiary-enrollment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}