Which has higher average years of schooling, Canada or Switzerland?

Switzerland, at 12.97 years against 12.93 years in Canada as of 2020.

What is the difference in average years of schooling between Canada and Switzerland?

0.04 years, with Switzerland ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Switzerland?

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.

Canada vs Switzerland: Average years of schooling

Canada

12.93 years

in 2020

Switzerland

12.97 years

in 2020

Canada rank

7th

Switzerland rank

6th

Average years of schooling over time

Canada
Switzerland

How they compare

Switzerland currently reports 12.97 years against 12.93 years in Canada, a difference of 0.04 years.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Switzerland ahead.

Canada ranks 7th and Switzerland ranks 6th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Canada averaged higher in 2 and Switzerland in 14.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Canada	Switzerland	Difference	Ahead
1870s	2.75 years	4.19 years	1.44 years	Switzerland
1880s	3 years	4.57 years	1.58 years	Switzerland
1890s	3.27 years	5.02 years	1.75 years	Switzerland
1900s	4.17 years	5.49 years	1.33 years	Switzerland
1910s	5 years	6.21 years	1.21 years	Switzerland
1920s	5.73 years	7.28 years	1.55 years	Switzerland
1930s	6.6 years	7.84 years	1.24 years	Switzerland
1940s	7.3 years	8.37 years	1.07 years	Switzerland
1950s	7.93 years	9.03 years	1.1 years	Switzerland
1960s	8.7 years	9.33 years	0.63 years	Switzerland
1970s	9.75 years	10.23 years	0.48 years	Switzerland
1980s	10.39 years	11 years	0.605 years	Switzerland
1990s	10.91 years	10.47 years	0.435 years	Canada
2000s	11.94 years	10.48 years	1.46 years	Canada
2010s	12.79 years	12.93 years	0.15 years	Switzerland
2020s	12.93 years	12.97 years	0.04 years	Switzerland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Canada or Switzerland?: Switzerland, at 12.97 years against 12.93 years in Canada as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Canada and Switzerland?: 0.04 years, with Switzerland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and Switzerland?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Canada and Switzerland rank globally for average years of schooling?: Canada ranks 7th and Switzerland ranks 6th 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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Canada vs Switzerland: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/canada/switzerland/

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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.