Which has higher average years of schooling, Gambia or Sierra Leone?

Sierra Leone, at 4.99 years against 4.92 years in Gambia as of 2020.

What is the difference in average years of schooling between Gambia and Sierra Leone?

0.07 years, with Sierra Leone ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Gambia and Sierra Leone?

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.

Gambia vs Sierra Leone: Average years of schooling

Gambia

4.92 years

in 2020

Sierra Leone

4.99 years

in 2020

Gambia rank

105th

Sierra Leone rank

104th

Average years of schooling over time

Gambia
Sierra Leone

How they compare

Sierra Leone currently reports 4.99 years against 4.92 years in Gambia, a difference of 0.07 years.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Gambia ahead.

Gambia ranks 105th and Sierra Leone ranks 104th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Gambia averaged higher in 8 and Sierra Leone in 8.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Gambia	Sierra Leone	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.055 years	0.025 years	0.03 years	Gambia
1880s	0.09 years	0.035 years	0.055 years	Gambia
1890s	0.14 years	0.055 years	0.085 years	Gambia
1900s	0.215 years	0.09 years	0.125 years	Gambia
1910s	0.255 years	0.165 years	0.09 years	Gambia
1920s	0.25 years	0.215 years	0.035 years	Gambia
1930s	0.31 years	0.25 years	0.06 years	Gambia
1940s	0.375 years	0.335 years	0.04 years	Gambia
1950s	0.425 years	0.435 years	0.01 years	Sierra Leone
1960s	0.51 years	0.595 years	0.085 years	Sierra Leone
1970s	0.665 years	1 years	0.34 years	Sierra Leone
1980s	1.16 years	1.62 years	0.465 years	Sierra Leone
1990s	2.09 years	2.36 years	0.27 years	Sierra Leone
2000s	3.08 years	3.13 years	0.05 years	Sierra Leone
2010s	4.17 years	4.26 years	0.085 years	Sierra Leone
2020s	4.92 years	4.99 years	0.07 years	Sierra Leone

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Gambia or Sierra Leone?: Sierra Leone, at 4.99 years against 4.92 years in Gambia as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Gambia and Sierra Leone?: 0.07 years, with Sierra Leone ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Gambia and Sierra Leone?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Gambia and Sierra Leone rank globally for average years of schooling?: Gambia ranks 105th and Sierra Leone ranks 104th 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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Gambia vs Sierra Leone: 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/gambia-the/sierra-leone/

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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.