Which has higher average years of schooling, Bulgaria or New Zealand?

New Zealand, at 10.81 years against 10.75 years in Bulgaria as of 2020.

What is the difference in average years of schooling between Bulgaria and New Zealand?

0.06 years, with New Zealand ahead.

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

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 New Zealand: Average years of schooling

Bulgaria

10.75 years

in 2020

New Zealand

10.81 years

in 2020

Bulgaria rank

38th

New Zealand rank

36th

Average years of schooling over time

Bulgaria
New Zealand

How they compare

New Zealand currently reports 10.81 years against 10.75 years in Bulgaria, a difference of 0.06 years.

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

Bulgaria ranks 38th and New Zealand ranks 36th of 111 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade	Bulgaria	New Zealand	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.955 years	3.53 years	2.57 years	New Zealand
1880s	1.04 years	3.74 years	2.71 years	New Zealand
1890s	1.23 years	4.23 years	3.01 years	New Zealand
1900s	1.62 years	4.59 years	2.97 years	New Zealand
1910s	2.54 years	5.26 years	2.72 years	New Zealand
1920s	3.43 years	6.09 years	2.66 years	New Zealand
1930s	3.53 years	7.21 years	3.67 years	New Zealand
1940s	3.83 years	8.13 years	4.3 years	New Zealand
1950s	4.4 years	9.5 years	5.11 years	New Zealand
1960s	4.97 years	10.15 years	5.17 years	New Zealand
1970s	6.97 years	11.6 years	4.62 years	New Zealand
1980s	8.46 years	11.81 years	3.36 years	New Zealand
1990s	9 years	11.75 years	2.75 years	New Zealand
2000s	10.13 years	11.99 years	1.86 years	New Zealand
2010s	10.89 years	11.02 years	0.125 years	New Zealand
2020s	10.75 years	10.81 years	0.06 years	New Zealand

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Bulgaria or New Zealand?: New Zealand, at 10.81 years against 10.75 years in Bulgaria as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Bulgaria and New Zealand?: 0.06 years, with New Zealand ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and New Zealand?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Bulgaria and New Zealand rank globally for average years of schooling?: Bulgaria ranks 38th and New Zealand ranks 36th 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 New Zealand: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/bulgaria/new-zealand/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/bulgaria/new-zealand/">Bulgaria vs New Zealand: Average years of schooling</a> — Statizoid

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.