United Kingdom vs United States: Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years
United Kingdom
13.43
in 2021
United States
13.89
in 2024
United Kingdom rank
5th
United States rank
3rd
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years over time
- United Kingdom
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 13.89 against 13.43 in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.46.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 9 shared years of data; in 2009 it was United Kingdom ahead.
United Kingdom ranks 5th and United States ranks 3rd of 121 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, United Kingdom averaged higher in 1 and United States in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United Kingdom | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.2 | 13 | 0.1928 | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 13.17 | 13.18 | 0.0005 | United States |
| 2020s | 13.39 | 13.56 | 0.1642 | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years, United Kingdom or United States?
- United States, at 13.89 against 13.43 in United Kingdom as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years between United Kingdom and United States?
- 0.46, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom and United States?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2021.
- How do United Kingdom and United States rank globally for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years?
- United Kingdom ranks 5th and United States ranks 3rd of 121 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years, male. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release