Education and Literacy

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Education Statistics

Data on education such as schools, enrolment, educational outcomes and finances, are compiled by the Ministry of Education.

Education Profile and Key Educational Indicators

The education composition of the population is commonly associated with its highest qualification attained.

Data on the highest qualification attained of the population are collected through household surveys. These statistics pertain to residents who were not attending educational institutions as full-time students, and include those who were upgrading their qualifications through part-time courses.

Other key educational indicators, namely mean years of schooling and literacy rate, are also compiled annually for the resident population. These indicators are commonly used internationally as an indication of the educational development of the population.

Data

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Key Indicators

Item	Unit	Latest Period	Latest Data	% Change (Y‑o‑Y) 1/	Previous Period Data	% Change (Y‑o‑Y) 2/
Education, Language Spoken and Literacy 3/
Literacy Rate (among residents aged 15 yrs & over)	%	2020	97.1	na	97.5	na
Males	%	2020	98.5	na	98.9	na
Females	%	2020	95.8	na	96.1	na
% with Post-Secondary Qualifications (among residents aged 25 years & over) 4/	%	2020	58.3	na	57.3	na
Males	%	2020	61.8	na	61.3	na
Females	%	2020	55.1	na	53.6	na
Item	Unit	Latest Period	Latest Data	% Change (Y‑o‑Y) 1/	Previous Period Data	% Change (Y‑o‑Y) 2/
Mean Years of Schooling (among residents aged 25 years & over) 4/	Years	2020	11.3	na	11.2	na
Males	Years	2020	11.7	na	11.6	na
Females	Years	2020	10.9	na	10.8	na
Annual Output - University Graduates 5/	Number	2019	19,173	0.9	18,997	2.5
Annual Output - Polytechnic Graduates 6/	Number	2019	23,798	-1.8	24,239	-6.1

na not available or not applicable
1 Refers to % change in latest period over the same period in the previous year.
2 Refers to % change in the previous period over the same period in the previous year.
3 Refers to the resident population.
4 Refers to residents who were not attending educational institutions as full-time students and include those who were upgrading their qualifications through part-time courses.
5 Refers to graduates from university first degree courses from National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
6 Refers to graduates from polytechnic diploma courses from Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic.

Literacy

Title : Indicators On Education And Literacy, Annual

Per Cent

Data Items	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Literacy Rate (15 Years & Over) * Refers to resident population aged 15 years and over. Prior to 1980, the rates are based on total population aged 15 years and over. Data for 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are from the Population Censuses/General Household Survey.	96.6	96.7	96.8	97	97.2	97.3	97.5	97.1
Literacy Rate (15 Years & Over) - Males * Refers to resident population aged 15 years and over. Prior to 1980, the rates are based on total population aged 15 years and over. Data for 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are from the Population Censuses/General Household Survey.	98.5	98.6	98.6	98.7	98.8	98.9	98.9	98.5
Literacy Rate (15 Years & Over) - Females * Refers to resident population aged 15 years and over. Prior to 1980, the rates are based on total population aged 15 years and over. Data for 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2015 and 2020 are from the Population Censuses/General Household Survey.	94.7	94.9	95.2	95.4	95.7	95.9	96.1	95.8

SOURCE : SINGAPORE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS

Indicators On Education And Literacy, Annual

Enrolment

Enrolment In Educational Institutions, Annual

Enrolment In Government And Government-Aided Primary Schools By Level And Age, Annual

Enrolment In Government, Government-Aided, Independent, Specialised Independent And Specialised Secondary Schools And Junior Colleges By Level And Age, Annual

Enrolment In Polytechnic Diploma Courses By Type Of Course And Sex, Annual

Enrolment In University First Degree Courses By Type Of Course And Sex, Annual

Enrolment In Polytechnic Advanced Diploma Courses By Type Of Course, Annual

Enrolment In Higher Degree Courses By Type Of Course, Annual

Enrolment In Arts Institution By Course And Level, Annual

Download all in Excel (55 KB)

Graduates

Graduates From Polytechnic Diploma Courses By Type Of Course And Sex, Annual

Graduates From University First Degree Courses By Type Of Course And Sex, Annual

Graduates From Polytechnic Advanced Diploma Courses By Type Of Course, Annual

Graduates From Higher Degree Courses By Type Of Course, Annual

Graduates From Arts Institution By Course And Level, Annual

Download all in Excel (32 KB)

Highest Qualification Attained

Title : Singapore Residents Aged 25 Years & Over By Highest Qualification Attained, Sex And Age Group, Annual

Number

Data Items	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Total	2,669,100	2,732,600	2,750,900	2,795,200	2,846,000	2,877,000	2,922,700	2,977,800
25 - 29 Years	223,700	231,700	232,800	253,000	242,300	251,800	252,300	268,900
30 - 34 Years	274,600	276,900	269,900	268,200	262,300	263,800	273,200	296,000
35 - 39 Years	297,500	287,900	300,200	288,900	305,700	303,400	296,900	297,800
40 - 44 Years	310,300	305,100	315,300	304,000	320,000	313,100	304,500	298,100
45 - 49 Years	315,100	298,600	301,500	301,100	313,700	313,200	323,000	311,500
50 - 54 Years	318,900	318,300	319,400	321,700	307,800	316,600	311,900	294,200
55 - 59 Years	280,200	296,400	296,700	299,500	285,000	299,000	316,100	306,300
60 - 64 Years	229,400	246,200	248,200	261,400	261,700	274,800	266,200	286,000
65 Years & Over	419,500	471,500	467,000	497,300	547,500	541,400	578,600	619,000
Total - Below Secondary	833,300	832,100	800,000	819,300	813,800	761,500	745,700	757,800
25 - 29 Years	10,000	10,000	9,400	9,500	7,600	8,700	8,100	7,800
30 - 34 Years	13,900	14,000	13,400	12,500	11,100	10,700	10,500	11,500
35 - 39 Years	27,200	21,300	20,000	20,500	18,700	17,000	15,700	16,300
40 - 44 Years	42,600	39,700	35,800	32,400	32,400	28,200	24,400	22,700
45 - 49 Years	78,800	62,300	59,400	55,100	47,600	43,300	39,800	38,000
50 - 54 Years	109,500	102,300	99,700	101,800	90,700	82,200	69,900	61,100
55 - 59 Years	121,900	124,900	118,900	116,400	106,100	100,400	105,300	101,500
60 - 64 Years	119,300	122,800	118,200	128,600	126,800	124,600	110,400	117,100
65 Years & Over	310,100	334,700	325,300	342,500	372,900	346,400	361,500	381,900
Total- Secondary	501,200	502,500	519,200	500,400	488,800	511,200	503,700	484,300
25 - 29 Years	23,300	21,500	19,600	20,300	18,300	20,600	17,700	15,900
30 - 34 Years	32,800	27,700	28,100	25,500	23,900	24,200	22,900	20,800
35 - 39 Years	38,500	34,500	38,900	32,700	35,500	31,900	32,100	28,800
40 - 44 Years	57,700	51,200	54,600	49,800	46,000	41,200	38,000	34,100
45 - 49 Years	76,200	66,400	68,000	63,000	61,800	61,400	54,700	49,400
50 - 54 Years	87,600	88,000	85,500	82,000	74,000	78,000	73,900	64,500
55 - 59 Years	71,700	81,600	83,500	83,600	76,900	83,100	85,500	79,000
60 - 64 Years	56,200	63,700	68,500	65,700	64,900	71,900	73,600	77,200
65 Years & Over	57,200	68,000	72,600	78,000	87,600	98,900	105,300	114,800
Total - Post Secondary (Non-Tertiary)	232,400	238,000	250,500	249,800	253,500	260,700	265,900	296,900
25 - 29 Years	23,200	23,300	25,200	26,200	24,400	24,700	22,800	29,000
30 - 34 Years	22,000	23,700	22,000	23,100	23,500	22,900	24,500	29,000
35 - 39 Years	22,200	22,200	26,000	21,800	22,700	24,300	22,500	27,200
40 - 44 Years	34,400	31,400	32,400	28,600	28,300	25,700	23,600	25,700
45 - 49 Years	31,800	30,800	34,100	34,100	33,800	33,700	36,600	35,900
50 - 54 Years	33,800	34,800	33,900	32,000	32,600	34,800	35,100	35,700
55 - 59 Years	28,400	29,100	29,800	32,500	29,300	33,400	32,400	34,500
60 - 64 Years	17,400	19,200	22,500	24,800	26,900	26,600	27,600	32,000
65 Years & Over	19,200	23,500	24,600	26,700	32,100	34,800	40,900	47,800
Total - Diploma & Professional Qualification	372,600	401,800	405,500	411,500	415,900	434,900	461,200	456,800
25 - 29 Years	55,500	59,100	59,700	62,600	61,200	61,400	62,800	66,000
30 - 34 Years	63,100	66,300	62,300	58,700	55,400	56,900	59,500	63,300
35 - 39 Years	66,200	66,700	66,500	65,700	67,700	68,200	65,600	64,400
40 - 44 Years	55,900	59,500	62,500	63,200	66,600	68,900	67,000	65,800
45 - 49 Years	44,500	48,100	50,700	49,900	56,100	56,500	62,800	60,000
50 - 54 Years	33,400	36,700	39,000	41,000	39,200	42,400	48,000	46,200
55 - 59 Years	23,700	26,700	27,800	28,300	28,800	33,400	39,000	32,900
60 - 64 Years	15,500	17,800	17,000	19,700	18,000	20,900	24,800	25,900
65 Years & Over	14,900	20,900	20,000	22,400	23,000	26,300	31,700	32,200
Total - University	729,700	758,100	775,800	814,200	874,000	908,700	946,200	982,000
25 - 29 Years	111,800	117,800	118,900	134,400	130,800	136,300	140,800	150,200
30 - 34 Years	142,900	145,100	144,100	148,400	148,500	149,100	155,800	171,400
35 - 39 Years	143,400	143,200	148,900	148,100	161,200	162,000	161,000	161,100
40 - 44 Years	119,700	123,300	130,100	130,000	146,900	149,200	151,500	149,900
45 - 49 Years	83,800	91,000	89,400	99,000	114,400	118,400	129,100	128,100
50 - 54 Years	54,600	56,500	61,300	65,000	71,400	79,200	85,100	86,700
55 - 59 Years	34,400	34,100	36,600	38,600	43,900	48,700	53,900	58,400
60 - 64 Years	21,000	22,700	22,000	22,600	25,100	30,900	29,800	33,900
65 Years & Over	18,200	24,500	24,500	27,900	31,900	35,000	39,200	42,300
Total Males	1,277,800	1,309,900	1,316,000	1,334,500	1,363,300	1,376,600	1,394,900	1,412,900
25 - 29 Years	105,600	113,100	111,100	122,300	118,400	121,600	126,500	128,700
30 - 34 Years	128,800	129,300	126,800	125,900	122,400	124,800	129,500	140,200
35 - 39 Years	141,400	139,200	140,500	138,200	144,300	141,800	137,000	139,200
40 - 44 Years	147,500	146,800	151,300	143,800	154,800	151,500	141,200	139,000
45 - 49 Years	155,500	144,500	146,500	144,600	151,000	151,100	156,400	150,800
50 - 54 Years	156,600	155,600	159,300	158,600	153,600	156,900	151,400	143,500
55 - 59 Years	138,700	146,700	148,800	148,300	142,700	150,000	154,300	149,700
60 - 64 Years	115,400	122,900	123,400	130,200	128,400	133,400	135,200	138,900
65 Years & Over	188,200	211,900	208,300	222,600	247,700	245,400	263,300	282,900
Total Males - Below Secondary	360,600	363,400	345,100	349,400	349,000	320,000	319,200	324,400
25 - 29 Years	4,100	5,600	4,400	4,400	3,300	3,900	4,100	3,900
30 - 34 Years	6,000	4,900	5,700	4,700	4,300	3,400	4,400	4,800
35 - 39 Years	11,200	8,800	8,000	8,000	7,100	6,300	6,200	6,000
40 - 44 Years	17,000	16,600	15,200	11,800	13,200	11,900	8,300	8,800
45 - 49 Years	36,100	27,300	26,900	23,200	19,500	16,300	17,100	15,500
50 - 54 Years	51,900	49,300	47,600	49,700	43,800	38,400	32,500	27,800
55 - 59 Years	57,300	61,400	57,800	54,100	53,300	47,700	51,200	48,700
60 - 64 Years	53,100	55,400	53,500	59,200	57,300	56,200	54,300	55,800
65 Years & Over	124,100	133,900	125,900	134,400	147,100	136,000	141,200	153,000
Total Males - Secondary	220,700	217,000	227,400	218,600	216,900	225,500	220,900	215,000
25 - 29 Years	11,700	10,400	9,000	9,900	8,900	10,600	9,700	8,500
30 - 34 Years	15,000	12,900	11,700	11,200	10,600	10,700	10,900	9,800
35 - 39 Years	16,300	14,500	16,000	14,200	15,700	14,700	14,700	13,500
40 - 44 Years	23,000	20,800	22,700	19,200	18,200	17,400	15,600	15,500
45 - 49 Years	30,600	25,200	27,600	25,200	26,400	25,600	23,000	21,600
50 - 54 Years	38,200	34,700	35,500	33,100	30,800	29,900	27,200	26,400
55 - 59 Years	29,700	34,300	36,000	37,200	32,600	37,300	35,100	32,500
60 - 64 Years	26,000	29,600	30,700	29,700	28,500	30,500	32,400	32,900
65 Years & Over	30,300	34,600	38,300	38,900	45,300	48,900	52,400	54,300
Total Males - Post Secondary (Non-Tertiary)	127,700	130,200	137,300	139,300	135,400	143,100	143,600	158,100
25 - 29 Years	13,900	14,900	16,200	16,900	16,100	14,600	14,400	18,100
30 - 34 Years	13,100	13,300	12,200	14,500	13,700	12,600	13,600	17,700
35 - 39 Years	11,800	12,200	14,200	12,400	11,600	14,300	12,100	15,300
40 - 44 Years	17,200	16,200	16,100	15,200	14,400	13,800	12,400	13,900
45 - 49 Years	17,200	15,700	16,200	16,700	16,500	17,200	19,000	18,400
50 - 54 Years	17,000	18,600	17,900	16,800	16,100	18,500	17,200	17,300
55 - 59 Years	15,400	14,000	16,100	16,900	13,700	17,100	16,100	16,300
60 - 64 Years	10,500	11,800	13,900	14,200	15,100	15,200	14,900	15,000
65 Years & Over	11,500	13,600	14,500	15,700	18,200	19,900	23,900	26,000
Total Males - Diploma & Professional Qualification	189,200	203,600	205,300	211,800	208,500	219,500	235,500	230,000
25 - 29 Years	28,000	31,500	29,700	33,700	31,500	32,200	34,800	34,900
30 - 34 Years	30,900	31,200	29,900	27,200	26,800	28,100	28,800	31,100
35 - 39 Years	31,000	31,100	31,200	32,100	33,300	30,900	31,300	30,900
40 - 44 Years	25,000	26,800	28,000	29,700	31,100	32,700	31,500	29,500
45 - 49 Years	21,700	23,700	25,600	24,400	25,700	26,900	29,600	27,800
50 - 54 Years	17,700	20,400	20,500	21,800	20,300	22,100	23,800	22,800
55 - 59 Years	14,500	15,700	16,100	16,400	14,800	17,300	21,200	17,300
60 - 64 Years	11,000	10,700	11,200	12,000	10,900	12,600	14,500	15,000
65 Years & Over	9,200	12,600	13,100	14,500	14,300	16,600	20,100	20,600
Total Males - University	379,700	395,700	401,000	415,500	453,400	468,400	475,700	485,400
25 - 29 Years	47,900	50,700	51,800	57,500	58,600	60,300	63,500	63,300
30 - 34 Years	63,800	66,900	67,300	68,300	67,000	70,100	71,900	76,800
35 - 39 Years	71,200	72,600	71,100	71,500	76,600	75,700	72,700	73,500
40 - 44 Years	65,300	66,400	69,400	67,900	77,900	75,700	73,500	71,200
45 - 49 Years	50,100	52,700	50,200	55,200	63,000	65,200	67,800	67,400
50 - 54 Years	31,800	32,500	37,800	37,300	42,600	48,000	50,700	49,100
55 - 59 Years	21,800	21,200	22,800	23,700	28,300	30,600	30,900	34,900
60 - 64 Years	14,700	15,400	14,100	15,100	16,700	18,900	19,100	20,200
65 Years & Over	13,200	17,200	16,600	19,000	22,700	24,100	25,600	29,000
Total Females	1,391,400	1,422,700	1,434,900	1,460,600	1,482,600	1,500,500	1,527,800	1,564,900
25 - 29 Years	118,100	118,600	121,700	130,700	124,000	130,100	125,700	140,200
30 - 34 Years	145,700	147,600	143,100	142,300	140,000	138,900	143,700	155,800
35 - 39 Years	156,100	148,700	159,700	150,700	161,400	161,600	160,000	158,600
40 - 44 Years	162,800	158,300	164,100	160,300	165,200	161,600	163,300	159,100
45 - 49 Years	159,600	154,000	154,900	156,500	162,600	162,100	166,600	160,700
50 - 54 Years	162,300	162,800	160,100	163,100	154,100	159,700	160,500	150,800
55 - 59 Years	141,500	149,800	147,900	151,200	142,200	148,900	161,800	156,600
60 - 64 Years	114,000	123,300	124,800	131,200	133,300	141,400	131,000	147,100
65 Years & Over	231,300	259,600	258,700	274,700	299,800	296,000	315,300	336,100
Total Females - Below Secondary	472,700	468,700	454,900	469,900	464,700	441,500	426,500	433,400
25 - 29 Years	5,900	4,400	4,900	5,100	4,200	4,800	4,000	3,900
30 - 34 Years	7,900	9,200	7,700	7,800	6,800	7,300	6,200	6,600
35 - 39 Years	16,100	12,600	12,000	12,600	11,600	10,700	9,500	10,300
40 - 44 Years	25,700	23,100	20,600	20,700	19,100	16,300	16,200	13,800
45 - 49 Years	42,700	35,000	32,500	31,900	28,100	27,000	22,700	22,500
50 - 54 Years	57,600	53,000	52,100	52,100	46,800	43,800	37,400	33,400
55 - 59 Years	64,600	63,500	61,100	62,300	52,800	52,700	54,100	52,800
60 - 64 Years	66,200	67,300	64,600	69,400	69,400	68,400	56,100	61,300
65 Years & Over	186,000	200,700	199,400	208,000	225,800	210,500	220,400	228,900
Total Females - Secondary	280,600	285,500	291,800	281,800	271,900	285,600	282,800	269,300
25 - 29 Years	11,600	11,100	10,600	10,400	9,400	10,000	8,000	7,400
30 - 34 Years	17,800	14,800	16,500	14,300	13,200	13,500	12,000	11,000
35 - 39 Years	22,200	20,000	22,900	18,500	19,700	17,200	17,400	15,300
40 - 44 Years	34,800	30,500	31,900	30,600	27,700	23,700	22,400	18,500
45 - 49 Years	45,700	41,100	40,300	37,800	35,400	35,900	31,800	27,800
50 - 54 Years	49,400	53,300	50,000	48,900	43,200	48,100	46,700	38,000
55 - 59 Years	42,000	47,200	47,500	46,400	44,300	45,800	50,500	46,400
60 - 64 Years	30,200	34,100	37,800	36,000	36,500	41,400	41,100	44,300
65 Years & Over	27,000	33,400	34,300	39,000	42,300	50,000	52,800	60,500
Total Females - Post Secondary (Non-Tertiary)	104,700	107,800	113,200	110,600	118,200	117,600	122,400	138,800
25 - 29 Years	9,300	8,400	9,000	9,400	8,400	10,100	8,400	10,900
30 - 34 Years	8,800	10,300	9,800	8,600	9,800	10,300	10,900	11,300
35 - 39 Years	10,400	10,000	11,700	9,400	11,100	10,000	10,400	11,900
40 - 44 Years	17,200	15,200	16,300	13,400	13,900	11,900	11,200	11,800
45 - 49 Years	14,600	15,200	17,900	17,400	17,300	16,500	17,600	17,500
50 - 54 Years	16,800	16,200	16,000	15,200	16,500	16,200	17,800	18,400
55 - 59 Years	13,000	15,100	13,700	15,600	15,500	16,200	16,300	18,200
60 - 64 Years	6,900	7,500	8,600	10,600	11,900	11,400	12,700	17,000
65 Years & Over	7,600	9,900	10,100	11,000	13,900	14,900	17,000	21,700
Total Females - Diploma & Professional Qualification	183,400	198,200	200,200	199,700	207,300	215,400	225,700	226,700
25 - 29 Years	27,400	27,600	30,000	28,900	29,700	29,200	28,000	31,000
30 - 34 Years	32,100	35,100	32,400	31,500	28,600	28,700	30,700	32,200
35 - 39 Years	35,200	35,600	35,300	33,600	34,400	37,300	34,300	33,500
40 - 44 Years	30,800	32,700	34,500	33,600	35,500	36,200	35,500	36,300
45 - 49 Years	22,800	24,400	25,100	25,500	30,400	29,600	33,200	32,200
50 - 54 Years	15,700	16,400	18,400	19,200	18,900	20,300	24,200	23,400
55 - 59 Years	9,200	11,000	11,700	11,900	14,000	16,100	17,800	15,600
60 - 64 Years	4,500	7,100	5,800	7,700	7,100	8,200	10,400	10,800
65 Years & Over	5,600	8,300	6,900	7,800	8,600	9,700	11,600	11,600
Total Females - University	350,000	362,400	374,800	398,700	420,500	440,400	470,500	496,600
25 - 29 Years	63,900	67,100	67,200	76,900	72,200	76,000	77,400	86,900
30 - 34 Years	79,100	78,200	76,800	80,200	81,500	79,000	83,800	94,600
35 - 39 Years	72,200	70,500	77,700	76,600	84,600	86,300	88,300	87,600
40 - 44 Years	54,400	56,900	60,800	62,100	68,900	73,500	78,000	78,600
45 - 49 Years	33,800	38,300	39,100	43,800	51,400	53,200	61,200	60,700
50 - 54 Years	22,800	23,900	23,600	27,800	28,700	31,300	34,400	37,600
55 - 59 Years	12,700	12,900	13,900	14,900	15,600	18,100	23,000	23,600
60 - 64 Years	6,200	7,300	7,900	7,600	8,400	12,000	10,700	13,700
65 Years & Over	5,000	7,200	8,000	8,900	9,200	10,900	13,600	13,300

SOURCE : SINGAPORE DEPARTMENT OF STATISTICS

Singapore Residents Aged 25 Years & Over By Highest Qualification Attained, Sex And Age Group, Annual

Mean Years of Schooling

Title : Mean Years Of Schooling, Annual

Years

Data Items	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Mean Years Of Schooling (25 Years & Over)	10.5	10.6	10.7	10.7	10.9	11.1	11.2	11.3
Mean Years Of Schooling (25 Years & Over) - Males	11	11.1	11.2	11.2	11.3	11.6	11.6	11.7
Mean Years Of Schooling (25 Years & Over) - Females	10	10.1	10.3	10.3	10.4	10.6	10.8	10.9