Which has higher average years of schooling, Afghanistan or Liberia?

Liberia, at 5.8 years against 5.69 years in Afghanistan as of 2020.

What is the difference in average years of schooling between Afghanistan and Liberia?

0.11 years, with Liberia ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Liberia?

31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.

Where does this data come from?

Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Average years of schooling. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Afghanistan vs Liberia: Average years of schooling

Afghanistan

5.69 years

in 2020

Liberia

5.8 years

in 2020

Afghanistan rank

101st

Liberia rank

100th

Average years of schooling over time

Afghanistan
Liberia

How they compare

Liberia currently reports 5.8 years against 5.69 years in Afghanistan, a difference of 0.11 years.

Across all 31 years both countries report, Liberia has been ahead every year.

Afghanistan ranks 101st and Liberia ranks 100th of 111 countries.

Liberia has averaged higher in every one of the 16 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Afghanistan	Liberia	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.01 years	0.055 years	0.045 years	Liberia
1880s	0.01 years	0.08 years	0.07 years	Liberia
1890s	0.01 years	0.12 years	0.11 years	Liberia
1900s	0.01 years	0.215 years	0.205 years	Liberia
1910s	0.015 years	0.4 years	0.385 years	Liberia
1920s	0.035 years	0.575 years	0.54 years	Liberia
1930s	0.045 years	0.535 years	0.49 years	Liberia
1940s	0.21 years	0.56 years	0.35 years	Liberia
1950s	0.3 years	0.6 years	0.3 years	Liberia
1960s	0.415 years	0.83 years	0.415 years	Liberia
1970s	0.845 years	1.42 years	0.57 years	Liberia
1980s	1.51 years	2.48 years	0.97 years	Liberia
1990s	2.23 years	3.12 years	0.895 years	Liberia
2000s	3.17 years	3.78 years	0.605 years	Liberia
2010s	4.37 years	4.71 years	0.335 years	Liberia
2020s	5.69 years	5.8 years	0.11 years	Liberia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Afghanistan or Liberia?: Liberia, at 5.8 years against 5.69 years in Afghanistan as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Afghanistan and Liberia?: 0.11 years, with Liberia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Liberia?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Afghanistan and Liberia rank globally for average years of schooling?: Afghanistan ranks 101st and Liberia ranks 100th of 111 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Average years of schooling. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Afghanistan vs Liberia: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/afghanistan/liberia/

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About this data

Indicator: Average years of schooling
Unit: years
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.