Which has higher compulsory education, duration, Marshall Islands or Other small states?

Marshall Islands, at 13 years against 9.5 years in Other small states as of 2025.

What is the difference in compulsory education, duration between Marshall Islands and Other small states?

3.5 years, with Marshall Islands ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Marshall Islands and Other small states?

28 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Compulsory education, duration (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Marshall Islands vs Other small states: Compulsory education, duration

Marshall Islands

13 years

in 2025

Other small states

9.5 years

in 2025

Marshall Islands rank

17th

Other small states rank

20th

Compulsory education, duration over time

Marshall Islands
Other small states

How they compare

Marshall Islands currently reports 13 years against 9.5 years in Other small states, a difference of 3.5 years.

That makes Marshall Islands's figure about 1.4 times Other small states's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 28 shared years of data; in 1998 it was Marshall Islands ahead.

Marshall Islands ranks 17th and Other small states ranks 20th of 197 countries.

Marshall Islands has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Marshall Islands	Other small states	Difference	Ahead
1990s	9 years	7.5 years	1.5 years	Marshall Islands
2000s	9 years	8.75 years	0.25 years	Marshall Islands
2010s	11.4 years	9.3 years	2.1 years	Marshall Islands
2020s	13 years	9.5 years	3.5 years	Marshall Islands

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher compulsory education, duration, Marshall Islands or Other small states?: Marshall Islands, at 13 years against 9.5 years in Other small states as of 2025.
What is the difference in compulsory education, duration between Marshall Islands and Other small states?: 3.5 years, with Marshall Islands ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Marshall Islands and Other small states?: 28 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2025.
How do Marshall Islands and Other small states rank globally for compulsory education, duration?: Marshall Islands ranks 17th and Other small states ranks 20th of 197 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Compulsory education, duration (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Compulsory education, duration (years)
Unit: years
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 243 places, 6,506 data points, 1975–2025
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Duration of compulsory education is the number of years that children are legally obliged to attend school.