Which nation claims the top spot in education levels?
Top Countries with the Highest Percentage of Adults with University Degrees
A new chart published by Visual Capitalist reveals the countries with the highest percentage of adults aged 25 to 64 who have completed tertiary education, which includes university degrees, two-year degrees, and vocational programs.
The chart shows that Canada leads the pack with 63% of adults in this age group having completed tertiary education. Ireland follows closely, with 52% of adults holding a university degree, according to a 2023 CBRE Research study. However, OECD data reported in 2025 sources places Canada at the top with 63%, with Ireland third, behind Japan (56%) and ahead of Switzerland (46%).
European countries dominate the top ten, with six countries making the list. These include Japan, South Korea (53%), the United Kingdom (51%), Australia (51%), Israel (51%), and Luxembourg (51%). The United States also makes the list, with approximately 40% of its population having a university degree, amounting to over 78 million people.
Singapore, with 45% of its adult population holding a university degree, and Switzerland, with 46%, are also among the top performers.
Interestingly, despite being the most populous countries, India and China have the lowest percentages of adults with higher education in this study. However, it's worth noting that these countries have the highest absolute number of bachelor's degrees globally.
The chart does not provide information on the countries with the lowest percentage of adults with a university degree, nor does it provide information on the countries' overall population sizes or total number of adults with a university degree. Additionally, it does not provide information on the countries' education systems or policies that may contribute to their high percentage of educated adults.
In the European Union, some countries show higher educational attainment particularly among younger adults. For example, Cyprus reaches 71.7% for tertiary education in nationals aged 25-34.
In Portugal, 29.4% of the working population, approximately 2 million adults, have a university degree. However, this figure is not included in the top ten.
The exact rankings vary slightly by data source and population age range considered. Despite these differences, the chart provides a useful snapshot of the global distribution of tertiary education.
[1] CBRE Research (2023) [2] OECD (2022-2025) [3] Eurostat (2023)
Portugal is not among the top ten countries with the highest percentage of adults with university degrees, but 29.4% of its working population, approximately 2 million adults, have completed tertiary education, encompassing university degrees, two-year degrees, and vocational programs. This study focused on the general news and education-and-self-development sector, highlighting the global distribution of university degrees among adults aged 25 to 64.
