10 answers, 6 from China's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
How many students are in higher education in China?
48.73 million people were enrolled in all forms of higher education in China in 2025, according to the Ministry of Education's 2025 education statistics bulletin of 6 July 2026. The gross enrolment ratio for higher education was 61.30%.
Regular undergraduate and vocational colleges had 39.54 million students, and 11.05 million graduated in 2025. China had 3,167 higher education institutions. The gross enrolment ratio compares all students, of any age, with the population in the typical age group, so it shows how widely higher education reaches.
101.78 million pupils were in primary school in China in 2025, according to the Ministry of Education's 2025 education statistics bulletin. 14.62 million children started primary school while 18.61 million finished it.
New entrants were fewer than leavers, which reflects smaller age groups of children. Primary schools had 6.46 million full-time teachers, a ratio of 15.76 pupils per teacher. China had 128,300 regular primary schools, plus 42,300 smaller teaching points.
China had 137,900 private schools and kindergartens in 2025, 31.29% of all schools, with 43.44 million students, or 15.49% of the total, according to the Ministry of Education's 2025 education statistics bulletin.
Private provision is largest in pre-school: private kindergartens made up 52.10% of kindergartens and had 40.63% of children. In compulsory education, private schools had 3.58% of pupils, and 831 private higher education institutions had 27.04% of undergraduate and vocational college students.
China had 4.30 million postgraduate students in 2025, of whom 753,600 were doctoral students and 3.55 million master's students, according to the Ministry of Education's 2025 education statistics bulletin.
1.44 million postgraduates were admitted in 2025, including 201,600 doctoral students, and 1.17 million graduated. Postgraduate students are trained at universities and at 234 research institutions. The figures do not include Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan.
How many children of migrant workers attend school in Chinese cities?
12.74 million children of migrant workers were in compulsory education in the cities and towns where their parents work in 2025, according to the Ministry of Education's 2025 education statistics bulletin. 8.62 million were in primary school and 4.12 million in junior secondary school.
The ministry counts children whose household registration is in rural areas of another county or province and who live with their parents where they work. Children left in their home villages are not included. In total, 156.88 million pupils were in compulsory education.
More recent budget figures show general public budget spending on education of 2.73 trillion yuan in January to August 2026, 0.7% more than a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Finance. Education is the second largest item in the budget after social security and employment. Spending by families on private tuition and fees is not included in these figures.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
How many students are in higher education in China?
76.9%: that is gross tertiary enrolment in China for 2024, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Across East Asia & Pacific the middle value was 47.4%, and China placed 4th highest of 15. Of 90 countries with 2024 data, 18th highest.
What is China's literacy rate?
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2020, is 96.7%. It was 95.1% in 2010. Across East Asia & Pacific the middle value was 96.9%, and China placed 6th highest of 10. World rank, highest first: 13th of 41.
What share of GDP does China spend on education?
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2023, is 3.9% of GDP. East Asia & Pacific median: 3.8% of GDP; China is 10th highest of 20. Worldwide: 52nd of 112.
How many students does each teacher have in China?
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the number of primary pupils per teacher in China at 16 in 2018. The peak was 18 in 2006 and the low 16 in 2014. Across East Asia & Pacific the middle value was 20, and China placed 11th highest of 13. Of 85 countries with 2018 data, 60th highest.