Which has higher average years of schooling, Bulgaria or Finland?

Finland, at 11.05 years against 10.75 years in Bulgaria as of 2020.

How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and Finland?

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.

Bulgaria vs Finland: Average years of schooling

Bulgaria

10.75 years

in 2020

Finland

11.05 years

in 2020

Bulgaria rank

38th

Finland rank

35th

Average years of schooling over time

Bulgaria
Finland

How they compare

Finland currently reports 11.05 years against 10.75 years in Bulgaria, a difference of 0.3 years.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Bulgaria ahead.

Bulgaria ranks 38th and Finland ranks 35th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Bulgaria averaged higher in 14 and Finland in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Bulgaria	Finland	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.955 years	0.145 years	0.81 years	Bulgaria
1880s	1.04 years	0.21 years	0.825 years	Bulgaria
1890s	1.23 years	0.345 years	0.88 years	Bulgaria
1900s	1.62 years	1.35 years	0.265 years	Bulgaria
1910s	2.54 years	1.8 years	0.73 years	Bulgaria
1920s	3.43 years	2.54 years	0.885 years	Bulgaria
1930s	3.53 years	3.25 years	0.285 years	Bulgaria
1940s	3.83 years	3.6 years	0.235 years	Bulgaria
1950s	4.4 years	3.98 years	0.41 years	Bulgaria
1960s	4.97 years	4.61 years	0.365 years	Bulgaria
1970s	6.97 years	6.55 years	0.425 years	Bulgaria
1980s	8.46 years	8.02 years	0.43 years	Bulgaria
1990s	9 years	8.94 years	0.06 years	Bulgaria
2000s	10.13 years	10.16 years	0.03 years	Finland
2010s	10.89 years	10.82 years	0.065 years	Bulgaria
2020s	10.75 years	11.05 years	0.3 years	Finland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Bulgaria or Finland?: Finland, at 11.05 years against 10.75 years in Bulgaria as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Bulgaria and Finland?: 0.3 years, with Finland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and Finland?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Bulgaria and Finland rank globally for average years of schooling?: Bulgaria ranks 38th and Finland ranks 35th 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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Bulgaria vs Finland: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/bulgaria/finland/

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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.