Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age) was 86.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force with advanced education in United Kingdom, 1992–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with advanced education.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 86.2% for labor force with advanced education in 2025.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with advanced education in United Kingdom peaked at 90.2% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 84.0%, in 2012.
That places United Kingdom 11th out of 125 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of total working-age population with advanced education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 89.6% | — |
| 1993 | 89.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 90.1% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 89.5% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 89.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 90.1% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 89.9% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 89.7% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 89.9% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 89.8% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 89.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 89.6% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 90.2% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 90.1% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 89.7% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 85.3% | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 85.2% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 85.1% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 85.3% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 84.0% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 84.1% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 84.1% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 84.2% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 84.1% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 84.0% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 84.3% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 84.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 85.3% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 84.5% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 85.1% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 85.4% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 86.2% | +1.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 86.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 79.4%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 86.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 78.3%, 1.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 89.8% | 89.5% | 90.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 88.9% | 85.2% | 90.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 84.4% | 84.0% | 85.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.3% | 84.5% | 86.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 22,956 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 35,770 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.93 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.07 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 111,361 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,223 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 57.91 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.47 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.4352 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force with advanced education in United Kingdom?
- Labor force with advanced education in United Kingdom was 86.2% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with advanced education recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 90.2% in 2005.
- What is the lowest labor force with advanced education recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.0% in 2012.
- How does United Kingdom rank for labor force with advanced education?
- United Kingdom ranks 11th out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with advanced education rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with advanced education (% of total working-age population with advanced education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with advanced education to the working-age population with advanced education. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).