Switzerland: Secondary education, pupils

Key figures

Over five years it is up 4.9% from 606,669 in 2019 (0.96% a year on average, compounded). Since 1978 it is up 1.61% from 626,312 in 1978. The World Bank has no value for 2 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Switzerland's secondary education, pupils rose 1.6% on 2023 (from 626,178 to 636,381).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2023), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 2.3% in 1979 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.5% in 1987. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 2,146 a year. A straight line explains 44% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Switzerland had the 46th highest value of the 100 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Switzerland in the 2024 ranking

• Belarus — 43rd of 100: 729,741
• Austria — 44th of 100: 706,802
• Cuba — 45th of 100: 662,491
• Paraguay — 47th of 100: 570,654
• New Zealand — 48th of 100: 562,417
• Honduras — 49th of 100: 552,199

What this measures

Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 45 values

Secondary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Albania — 208,738 (2024)
• Andorra — 5,245 (2024)
• Armenia — 290,201 (2024)
• Austria — 706,802 (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 1.06 million (2024)
• Belarus — 729,741 (2024)
• Belgium — 1.18 million (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 226,755 (2023)
• Bulgaria — 485,226 (2024)
• Croatia — 325,996 (2023)
• Cyprus — 61,230 (2024)
• Czechia

More education data for Switzerland

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 556,945 (2024)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 4.86% (2022)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.99 (2020)
• Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education) — 26% (2016)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 48.55% (2017)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Switzerland's secondary education, pupils?

636,381 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1978?

It is up 1.61% from 626,312 in 1978. The highest value was 663,054 in 1982 and the lowest 538,775 in 1998.

How does Switzerland rank?

46th highest of 100 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in secondary education, pupils unusual for Switzerland?

In 2024, Switzerland's secondary education, pupils rose 1.6% on 2023 (from 626,178 to 636,381). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2023), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.ENRL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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