Chile vs South Africa: Average years of schooling

Chile
10.74 years
in 2020
South Africa
10.47 years
in 2020
Chile rank
39th
South Africa rank
41st

Average years of schooling over time

  • Chile
  • South Africa
02.557.510187019452020

How they compare

Chile currently reports 10.74 years against 10.47 years in South Africa, a difference of 0.27 years.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was South Africa ahead.

Chile ranks 39th and South Africa ranks 41st of 111 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Chile South Africa Difference Ahead
1870s 0.47 years 0.74 years 0.27 years South Africa
1880s 0.61 years 1.05 years 0.445 years South Africa
1890s 0.72 years 1.3 years 0.58 years South Africa
1900s 1.72 years 1.23 years 0.485 years Chile
1910s 2.66 years 1.45 years 1.21 years Chile
1920s 3.65 years 2.56 years 1.08 years Chile
1930s 4.2 years 3.25 years 0.94 years Chile
1940s 4.67 years 3.84 years 0.835 years Chile
1950s 4.97 years 4.3 years 0.675 years Chile
1960s 5.47 years 4.51 years 0.96 years Chile
1970s 6.44 years 4.8 years 1.64 years Chile
1980s 7.49 years 5.2 years 2.29 years Chile
1990s 8.75 years 7.63 years 1.12 years Chile
2000s 9.69 years 8.39 years 1.29 years Chile
2010s 10.42 years 10.02 years 0.4 years Chile
2020s 10.74 years 10.47 years 0.27 years Chile

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Chile or South Africa?
Chile, at 10.74 years against 10.47 years in South Africa as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Chile and South Africa?
0.27 years, with Chile ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Chile and South Africa?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Chile and South Africa rank globally for average years of schooling?
Chile ranks 39th 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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Chile 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 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/chile/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.