Austria vs South Africa: Average years of schooling

Austria
10.39 years
in 2020
South Africa
10.47 years
in 2020
Austria rank
44th
South Africa rank
41st

Average years of schooling over time

  • Austria
  • South Africa
0246810187019452020

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 10.47 years against 10.39 years in Austria, a difference of 0.08 years.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Austria ahead.

Austria ranks 44th and South Africa ranks 41st of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Austria averaged higher in 15 and South Africa in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Austria South Africa Difference Ahead
1870s 2.33 years 0.74 years 1.59 years Austria
1880s 2.65 years 1.05 years 1.6 years Austria
1890s 3.2 years 1.3 years 1.9 years Austria
1900s 3.87 years 1.23 years 2.64 years Austria
1910s 4.54 years 1.45 years 3.1 years Austria
1920s 5.25 years 2.56 years 2.69 years Austria
1930s 6.05 years 3.25 years 2.8 years Austria
1940s 6.06 years 3.84 years 2.22 years Austria
1950s 5.76 years 4.3 years 1.46 years Austria
1960s 6.11 years 4.51 years 1.6 years Austria
1970s 7.35 years 4.8 years 2.55 years Austria
1980s 7.72 years 5.2 years 2.52 years Austria
1990s 8.59 years 7.63 years 0.965 years Austria
2000s 9.66 years 8.39 years 1.27 years Austria
2010s 10.2 years 10.02 years 0.18 years Austria
2020s 10.39 years 10.47 years 0.08 years South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Austria or South Africa?
South Africa, at 10.47 years against 10.39 years in Austria as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Austria and South Africa?
0.08 years, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Austria and South Africa?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Austria and South Africa rank globally for average years of schooling?
Austria ranks 44th and South Africa ranks 41st 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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Austria vs South Africa: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/austria/south-africa/

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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

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