Bulgaria vs South Africa: Average years of schooling

Bulgaria
10.75 years
in 2020
South Africa
10.47 years
in 2020
Bulgaria rank
38th
South Africa rank
41st

Average years of schooling over time

  • Bulgaria
  • South Africa
02.557.510187019452020

How they compare

Bulgaria currently reports 10.75 years against 10.47 years in South Africa, a difference of 0.28 years.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Bulgaria ahead.

Bulgaria ranks 38th and South Africa ranks 41st of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Bulgaria averaged higher in 13 and South Africa in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade Bulgaria South Africa Difference Ahead
1870s 0.955 years 0.74 years 0.215 years Bulgaria
1880s 1.04 years 1.05 years 0.02 years South Africa
1890s 1.23 years 1.3 years 0.075 years South Africa
1900s 1.62 years 1.23 years 0.39 years Bulgaria
1910s 2.54 years 1.45 years 1.09 years Bulgaria
1920s 3.43 years 2.56 years 0.865 years Bulgaria
1930s 3.53 years 3.25 years 0.275 years Bulgaria
1940s 3.83 years 3.84 years 0.005 years South Africa
1950s 4.4 years 4.3 years 0.095 years Bulgaria
1960s 4.97 years 4.51 years 0.465 years Bulgaria
1970s 6.97 years 4.8 years 2.17 years Bulgaria
1980s 8.46 years 5.2 years 3.26 years Bulgaria
1990s 9 years 7.63 years 1.37 years Bulgaria
2000s 10.13 years 8.39 years 1.74 years Bulgaria
2010s 10.89 years 10.02 years 0.87 years Bulgaria
2020s 10.75 years 10.47 years 0.28 years Bulgaria

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Bulgaria or South Africa?
Bulgaria, at 10.75 years against 10.47 years in South Africa as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Bulgaria and South Africa?
0.28 years, with Bulgaria ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and South Africa?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Bulgaria and South Africa rank globally for average years of schooling?
Bulgaria ranks 38th 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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Bulgaria 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 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/bulgaria/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.