Ghana vs Zimbabwe: Average years of schooling

Ghana
8.39 years
in 2020
Zimbabwe
8.32 years
in 2020
Ghana rank
71st
Zimbabwe rank
73rd

Average years of schooling over time

  • Ghana
  • Zimbabwe
02468187019452020

How they compare

Ghana currently reports 8.39 years against 8.32 years in Zimbabwe, a difference of 0.07 years.

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

Ghana ranks 71st and Zimbabwe ranks 73rd of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Ghana averaged higher in 9 and Zimbabwe in 7.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ghana Zimbabwe Difference Ahead
1870s 0.015 years 0.01 years 0.005 years Ghana
1880s 0.02 years 0.01 years 0.01 years Ghana
1890s 0.035 years 0.01 years 0.025 years Ghana
1900s 0.075 years 0.015 years 0.06 years Ghana
1910s 0.17 years 0.09 years 0.08 years Ghana
1920s 0.295 years 0.265 years 0.03 years Ghana
1930s 0.405 years 0.715 years 0.31 years Zimbabwe
1940s 0.535 years 1.22 years 0.685 years Zimbabwe
1950s 0.765 years 1.82 years 1.06 years Zimbabwe
1960s 1.56 years 2.53 years 0.965 years Zimbabwe
1970s 3.79 years 3.38 years 0.41 years Ghana
1980s 5.28 years 4.44 years 0.845 years Ghana
1990s 6.16 years 6.41 years 0.25 years Zimbabwe
2000s 6.97 years 7.46 years 0.48 years Zimbabwe
2010s 7.69 years 7.95 years 0.255 years Zimbabwe
2020s 8.39 years 8.32 years 0.07 years Ghana

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Ghana or Zimbabwe?
Ghana, at 8.39 years against 8.32 years in Zimbabwe as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Ghana and Zimbabwe?
0.07 years, with Ghana ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ghana and Zimbabwe?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Ghana and Zimbabwe rank globally for average years of schooling?
Ghana ranks 71st and Zimbabwe ranks 73rd 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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Ghana vs Zimbabwe: 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/ghana/zimbabwe/

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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.