Which has higher average years of schooling, Hungary or Sweden?

Hungary, at 11.96 years against 11.93 years in Sweden as of 2020.

What is the difference in average years of schooling between Hungary and Sweden?

0.03 years, with Hungary ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Hungary and Sweden?

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.

Hungary vs Sweden: Average years of schooling

Hungary

11.96 years

in 2020

Sweden

11.93 years

in 2020

Hungary rank

18th

Sweden rank

20th

Average years of schooling over time

Hungary
Sweden

How they compare

Hungary currently reports 11.96 years against 11.93 years in Sweden, a difference of 0.03 years.

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

Hungary ranks 18th and Sweden ranks 20th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Hungary averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 14.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Hungary	Sweden	Difference	Ahead
1870s	1.92 years	3.66 years	1.74 years	Sweden
1880s	2.4 years	3.92 years	1.51 years	Sweden
1890s	3 years	4.15 years	1.15 years	Sweden
1900s	3.76 years	4.37 years	0.61 years	Sweden
1910s	4.16 years	4.54 years	0.385 years	Sweden
1920s	4.62 years	4.95 years	0.335 years	Sweden
1930s	5.2 years	5.76 years	0.565 years	Sweden
1940s	6.27 years	6.35 years	0.08 years	Sweden
1950s	7.28 years	7.12 years	0.165 years	Hungary
1960s	7.64 years	7.9 years	0.265 years	Sweden
1970s	8.56 years	9.13 years	0.575 years	Sweden
1980s	9.35 years	10.48 years	1.12 years	Sweden
1990s	10.12 years	11.22 years	1.1 years	Sweden
2000s	11.73 years	11.79 years	0.06 years	Sweden
2010s	11.91 years	11.92 years	0.015 years	Sweden
2020s	11.96 years	11.93 years	0.03 years	Hungary

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Hungary or Sweden?: Hungary, at 11.96 years against 11.93 years in Sweden as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Hungary and Sweden?: 0.03 years, with Hungary ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Hungary and Sweden?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Hungary and Sweden rank globally for average years of schooling?: Hungary ranks 18th and Sweden ranks 20th 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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Hungary vs Sweden: 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/hungary/sweden/

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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.