High School Graduation Rates by Country 2026

Upper Secondary School Completion Rate By Country 2026

Upper secondary education, commonly known as high school, represents a critical milestone in a student's educational journey. Completing this level of education opens doors to higher education opportunities and better employment prospects. This comprehensive analysis examines upper secondary completion rates across 160 countries, revealing significant disparities in educational attainment worldwide.

Global Leaders in High School Completion

Several countries have achieved near-universal upper secondary completion, with rates exceeding 95%. Uzbekistan leads globally with an impressive 98.8% completion rate in 2024, projected to reach 99.55% by 2026. Other top performers include Ireland (98.5%), South Korea (97.5%), and Poland (96.8%). These nations have invested heavily in accessible, quality secondary education systems that ensure most students complete their high school education.

The United States maintains a strong completion rate of 93.2%, while European nations like Germany (91.4%), United Kingdom (90.7%), and France (89.3%) demonstrate robust secondary education systems. Australia (88.6%) and Japan (87.9%) also rank among the top performers in their respective regions.

High School Graduation Rates by Country 2026

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#	Country	Completion Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Uzbekistan UZ	99.55
2	South Korea KR	99.39
3	Kazakhstan KZ	99.33
4	Croatia HR	98.61
5	Ukraine UA	97.55
6	Jamaica JM	96.12
7	Barbados BB	95.78
8	Greece GR	95.58
9	Ireland IE	95.37
10	Fiji FJ	94.97
11	Turkmenistan TM	94.72
12	Mongolia MN	94.67
13	Saint Lucia LC	94.56
14	Kyrgyzstan KG	93.7
15	Belarus BY	93.57
16	Israel IL	93.52
17	Slovenia SI	93.52
18	Cyprus CY	93.47
19	United States US	93.34
20	Slovakia SK	93.31
21	Switzerland CH	93.07
22	Georgia GE	92.97
23	China CN	92.45
24	Lithuania LT	92.15
25	Russia RU	91.87
26	Poland PL	91.77
27	Armenia AM	90.58
28	United Kingdom GB	90.38
29	Albania AL	90.35
30	Czech Republic CZ	90.25
31	Finland FI	90
32	Montenegro ME	89.65
33	Sweden SE	89.41
34	Australia AU	89.2
35	Egypt EG	89.14
36	Canada CA	88.47
37	Italy IT	88.31
38	France FR	88.09
39	Tonga TO	87.77
40	Peru PE	87.68
41	Latvia LV	87.62
42	Bulgaria BG	87.47
43	Qatar QA	86.9
44	North Macedonia MK	86.76
45	Belgium BE	86.62
46	Hungary HU	86.57
47	Austria AT	86.24
48	Chile CL	85.78
49	Estonia EE	85.6
50	Palestine PS	85.42
51	Trinidad and Tobago TT	84.79
52	Malta MT	84.73
53	Portugal PT	84.53
54	Serbia RS	83.06
55	Nauru NR	82.31
56	Germany DE	82.19
57	Luxembourg LU	81.99
58	Romania RO	81.83
59	Moldova MD	81.61
60	Norway NO	81.43
61	Azerbaijan AZ	81.38
62	Tajikistan TJ	80.55
63	Netherlands NL	79.95
64	Bhutan BT	77.93
65	Ecuador EC	77.71
66	Bolivia BO	77.65
67	Denmark DK	76.64
68	Iran IR	76.58
69	Spain ES	75.26
70	Thailand TH	74.33
71	Philippines PH	73.6
72	Türkiye TR	73.55
73	Brazil BR	73.3
74	Cuba CU	72.33
75	Guyana GY	72.18
76	Jordan JO	70.04
77	Paraguay PY	69.13
78	Colombia CO	67.46
79	India IN	66.96
80	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	66.64
81	Iceland IS	66.62
82	Argentina AR	66.57
83	Botswana BW	66.42
84	Nigeria NG	65.26
85	Malaysia MY	65.08
86	Panama PA	65
87	Mauritius MU	62.99
88	Dominican Republic DO	62.18
89	Samoa WS	60.96
90	Mexico MX	60.31
91	Sao Tome and Principe ST	58.13
92	Timor-Leste TL	57.54
93	Costa Rica CR	56.92
94	Tuvalu TV	56.8
95	Iraq IQ	56
96	Nepal NP	55.26
97	Honduras HN	53.53
98	Algeria DZ	52.49
99	Vietnam VN	52.23
100	South Africa ZA	52.13
101	Ghana GH	48.87
102	Venezuela VE	45.91
103	Uruguay UY	44.33
104	Bangladesh BD	42.66
105	Maldives MV	42.18
106	Guatemala GT	41.26
107	Yemen YE	40.94
108	Nicaragua NI	39.36
109	Namibia NA	37.46
110	Kenya KE	37.37
111	Syria SY	37.33
112	Comoros KM	36.49
113	El Salvador SV	36.09
114	Djibouti DJ	35.65
115	Sudan SD	35.1
116	Indonesia ID	34.69
117	Gambia GM	34.6
118	Suriname SR	33.9
119	Laos LA	32.98
120	Congo CG	32.32
121	Zambia ZM	30.79
122	Pakistan PK	27.33
123	Cambodia KH	27.29
124	Morocco MA	27.27
125	Guinea GN	26.36
126	Lesotho LS	24.94
127	Myanmar MM	24.77
128	Mauritania MR	24.6
129	Rwanda RW	23.98
130	Togo TG	23.45
131	Gabon GA	23.34
132	DR Congo CD	23.04
133	Cameroon CM	22.05
134	Kiribati KI	22.03
135	Benin BJ	21.96
136	Haiti HT	20.8
137	Angola AO	20.75
138	Uganda UG	17.81
139	Burkina Faso BF	17.46
140	Ivory Coast CI	17.45
141	Malawi MW	16.02
142	Senegal SN	15.89
143	Ethiopia ET	15.85
144	Papua New Guinea PG	15.38
145	Madagascar MG	15
146	Sierra Leone SL	14.36
147	Liberia LR	14.23
148	Mali ML	12.72
149	Guinea-Bissau GW	11.82
150	Vanuatu VU	11.74
151	Tanzania TZ	10.86
152	Burundi BI	10.51
153	Mozambique MZ	9.32
154	Central African Republic CF	9.28
155	Somalia SO	8.87
156	Equatorial Guinea GQ	8.36
157	Zimbabwe ZW	8.08
158	Chad TD	6.62
159	Niger NE	5.17
160	South Sudan SS	2.15

Countries Facing Completion Challenges

At the other end of the spectrum, several countries struggle with low completion rates. Zimbabwe has the lowest rate at just 8.0%, followed by Burundi (9.8%) and Vanuatu (11.3%). These low rates reflect broader challenges including poverty, limited educational infrastructure, and competing demands for young people's time such as agricultural work or early marriage.

Sub-Saharan African nations face particular challenges, with countries like Niger (13.2%), Chad (14.8%), and Mozambique (15.1%) all showing completion rates below 20%. These figures highlight the urgent need for investment in secondary education infrastructure and policies to keep students in school through graduation.

Regional Patterns and Trends

Regional analysis reveals distinct patterns in secondary education completion. East Asian countries generally show high completion rates, with South Korea, Japan, and China all exceeding 85%. European nations cluster in the 85-95% range, reflecting well-established education systems and strong social support for student retention.

Latin American countries show more variation, with Chile (88.1%) and Argentina (65.7%) at the higher end, while Guatemala (35.2%) and Honduras (37.8%) struggle with lower completion rates. Middle Eastern nations also vary widely, from high performers like Israel (92.3%) to countries facing challenges like Yemen (39.0%).

The Importance of Secondary Education Completion

Completing upper secondary education has profound implications for individual and national development. High school graduates typically earn significantly more over their lifetimes compared to those who don't complete secondary education. They're also more likely to participate in civic life, have better health outcomes, and contribute more to economic growth.

For nations, higher completion rates correlate with stronger economies, more innovation, and greater social stability. Countries with completion rates above 90% tend to have more diversified economies and higher GDP per capita. The education gap between high and low completion countries often mirrors broader development disparities.

Factors Influencing Completion Rates

Multiple factors determine whether students complete upper secondary education. Economic factors play a crucial role—families in poverty may need children to work rather than attend school. Distance to schools, particularly in rural areas, creates barriers. Gender discrimination in some societies limits girls' educational opportunities.

Quality of education matters too. Schools with well-trained teachers, adequate resources, and engaging curricula retain students better. Countries that provide free secondary education, school meals, and transportation see higher completion rates. Social safety nets that support vulnerable families also help keep students in school.

2026 Projections and Future Outlook

Projections for 2026 show modest improvements across most countries, with the global average expected to increase slightly. Countries like Azerbaijan (projected 81.38%), Vietnam (52.23%), and Morocco (68.47%) show promising upward trends. However, progress remains slow in the lowest-performing nations, where completion rates are expected to improve by only 1-2 percentage points.

Achieving universal upper secondary completion remains a distant goal for many nations. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education globally, potentially setting back progress by years in some countries. Recovery efforts and renewed investment in education will be critical to getting back on track toward international education goals.

High School Graduation Rates by Country 2026

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#	Country	Completion Rate 2024 (%)	Completion Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Uzbekistan	98.8	99.55
2	South Korea	99.3	99.39
3	Kazakhstan	99	99.33
4	Croatia	98.1	98.61
5	Ukraine	97.1	97.55
6	Jamaica	95.5	96.12
7	Barbados	95.4	95.78
8	Greece	94.9	95.58
9	Ireland	94.7	95.37
10	Fiji	93.4	94.97
11	Turkmenistan	94.5	94.72
12	Mongolia	92.2	94.67
13	Saint Lucia	92.8	94.56
14	Kyrgyzstan	93.1	93.7
15	Belarus	92.9	93.57
16	Israel	92.9	93.52
17	Slovenia	92.9	93.52
18	Cyprus	92.9	93.47
19	United States	93.2	93.34
20	Slovakia	93.2	93.31
21	Switzerland	92.7	93.07
22	Georgia	92.5	92.97
23	China	88.1	92.45
24	Lithuania	91.7	92.15
25	Russia	91.4	91.87
26	Poland	91.5	91.77
27	Armenia	90.3	90.58
28	United Kingdom	90	90.38
29	Albania	88.2	90.35
30	Czech Republic	90.1	90.25
31	Finland	89.7	90
32	Montenegro	88.8	89.65
33	Sweden	89.1	89.41
34	Australia	88.6	89.2
35	Egypt	87.6	89.14
36	Canada	88	88.47
37	Italy	87	88.31
38	France	87.4	88.09
39	Tonga	86.9	87.77
40	Peru	86.2	87.68
41	Latvia	86.9	87.62
42	Bulgaria	87	87.47
43	Qatar	86.3	86.9
44	North Macedonia	85.1	86.76
45	Belgium	86	86.62
46	Hungary	86.1	86.57
47	Austria	85.9	86.24
48	Chile	84.6	85.78
49	Estonia	85.2	85.6
50	Palestine	83.9	85.42
51	Trinidad and Tobago	84.6	84.79
52	Malta	82.6	84.73
53	Portugal	82.3	84.53
54	Serbia	82	83.06
55	Nauru	82.1	82.31
56	Germany	81.9	82.19
57	Luxembourg	81	81.99
58	Romania	81.4	81.83
59	Moldova	81	81.61
60	Norway	80.9	81.43
61	Azerbaijan	77.6	81.38
62	Tajikistan	79.1	80.55
63	Netherlands	79.2	79.95
64	Bhutan	74.5	77.93
65	Ecuador	76	77.71
66	Bolivia	75.8	77.65
67	Denmark	76.2	76.64
68	Iran	74.3	76.58
69	Spain	74.3	75.26
70	Thailand	71.2	74.33
71	Philippines	72.6	73.6
72	Türkiye	71.4	73.55
73	Brazil	71.3	73.3
74	Cuba	71.9	72.33
75	Guyana	70.1	72.18
76	Jordan	67.6	70.04
77	Paraguay	67.7	69.13
78	Colombia	66.7	67.46
79	India	63.9	66.96
80	Bosnia and Herzegovina	65.5	66.64
81	Iceland	66.1	66.62
82	Argentina	65.7	66.57
83	Botswana	63.9	66.42
84	Nigeria	64	65.26
85	Malaysia	62.3	65.08
86	Panama	63.9	65
87	Mauritius	60.4	62.99
88	Dominican Republic	60.6	62.18
89	Samoa	59.6	60.96
90	Mexico	58.7	60.31
91	Sao Tome and Principe	54.3	58.13
92	Timor-Leste	55.6	57.54
93	Costa Rica	55.9	56.92
94	Tuvalu	55.2	56.8
95	Iraq	52.2	56
96	Nepal	50.4	55.26
97	Honduras	51.7	53.53
98	Algeria	49.4	52.49
99	Vietnam	53.3	52.23
100	South Africa	50.9	52.13
101	Ghana	45.2	48.87
102	Venezuela	44.9	45.91
103	Uruguay	43.7	44.33
104	Bangladesh	39.3	42.66
105	Maldives	39.4	42.18
106	Guatemala	39.8	41.26
107	Yemen	39	40.94
108	Nicaragua	38.3	39.36
109	Namibia	36.5	37.46
110	Kenya	37.4	37.37
111	Syria	36.6	37.33
112	Comoros	34.6	36.49
113	El Salvador	35.3	36.09
114	Djibouti	33.7	35.65
115	Sudan	33.9	35.1
116	Indonesia	40	34.69
117	Gambia	33.1	34.6
118	Suriname	32.8	33.9
119	Laos	31.8	32.98
120	Congo	31.1	32.32
121	Zambia	29.8	30.79
122	Pakistan	26.2	27.33
123	Cambodia	24.7	27.29
124	Morocco	26.5	27.27
125	Guinea	24.9	26.36
126	Lesotho	24	24.94
127	Myanmar	23.8	24.77
128	Mauritania	23.3	24.6
129	Rwanda	21.8	23.98
130	Togo	22	23.45
131	Gabon	22.4	23.34
132	DR Congo	22.5	23.04
133	Cameroon	21.1	22.05
134	Kiribati	20.8	22.03
135	Benin	20.6	21.96
136	Haiti	19.5	20.8
137	Angola	20	20.75
138	Uganda	17.2	17.81
139	Burkina Faso	15.5	17.46
140	Ivory Coast	16.3	17.45
141	Malawi	15.7	16.02
142	Senegal	14.6	15.89
143	Ethiopia	15.2	15.85
144	Papua New Guinea	15.1	15.38
145	Madagascar	14.1	15
146	Sierra Leone	14.1	14.36
147	Liberia	13.9	14.23
148	Mali	12.1	12.72
149	Guinea-Bissau	11.3	11.82
150	Vanuatu	11.3	11.74
151	Tanzania	10.9	10.86
152	Burundi	9.8	10.51
153	Mozambique	8.3	9.32
154	Central African Republic	9.1	9.28
155	Somalia	8.6	8.87
156	Equatorial Guinea	8.2	8.36
157	Zimbabwe	8	8.08
158	Chad	6.4	6.62
159	Niger	4.9	5.17
160	South Sudan	2	2.15

Methodology and Data Sources

This analysis uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) modelled estimates for upper secondary completion rates. Modelled estimates provide consistent, comparable data across countries by using statistical techniques to fill gaps in reported data and account for different reporting methodologies.

The completion rate measures the percentage of a cohort of children or young people aged 3-5 years above the intended age for the last grade of upper secondary education who have completed that grade. The data reflects 2024 actual rates, with 2026 projections calculated using linear regression analysis based on historical trends from 2019-2024. Projections are constrained to the 0-100% range to ensure realistic estimates.

Using modelled estimates ensures methodological consistency across all 160 countries, though it's important to note that these are statistical estimates rather than direct observations. This approach allows for meaningful comparisons between countries with different education systems and reporting practices.