Canada vs United Kingdom: Average years of schooling
Canada
12.93 years
in 2020
United Kingdom
12.9 years
in 2020
Canada rank
7th
United Kingdom rank
10th
Average years of schooling over time
- Canada
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Canada currently reports 12.93 years against 12.9 years in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.03 years.
Across all 31 years both countries report, Canada has been ahead every year.
Canada ranks 7th and United Kingdom ranks 10th of 111 countries.
Canada has averaged higher in every one of the 16 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Canada | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 2.75 years | 0.95 years | 1.8 years | Canada |
| 1880s | 3 years | 1.27 years | 1.72 years | Canada |
| 1890s | 3.27 years | 1.99 years | 1.28 years | Canada |
| 1900s | 4.17 years | 2.83 years | 1.33 years | Canada |
| 1910s | 5 years | 3.86 years | 1.14 years | Canada |
| 1920s | 5.73 years | 4.71 years | 1.02 years | Canada |
| 1930s | 6.6 years | 5.68 years | 0.92 years | Canada |
| 1940s | 7.3 years | 6.35 years | 0.95 years | Canada |
| 1950s | 7.93 years | 6.61 years | 1.32 years | Canada |
| 1960s | 8.7 years | 7.33 years | 1.37 years | Canada |
| 1970s | 9.75 years | 8.23 years | 1.52 years | Canada |
| 1980s | 10.39 years | 8.64 years | 1.75 years | Canada |
| 1990s | 10.91 years | 9.47 years | 1.44 years | Canada |
| 2000s | 11.94 years | 10.77 years | 1.17 years | Canada |
| 2010s | 12.79 years | 12.57 years | 0.22 years | Canada |
| 2020s | 12.93 years | 12.9 years | 0.03 years | Canada |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher average years of schooling, Canada or United Kingdom?
- Canada, at 12.93 years against 12.9 years in United Kingdom as of 2020.
- What is the difference in average years of schooling between Canada and United Kingdom?
- 0.03 years, with Canada ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and United Kingdom?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
- How do Canada and United Kingdom rank globally for average years of schooling?
- Canada ranks 7th and United Kingdom ranks 10th of 111 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) β 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.
Individual pages
About this data
Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.