What is the difference in average years of schooling between Ireland and Republic of Korea?

0.06 years, with Ireland ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Republic of Korea?

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.

Ireland vs Republic of Korea: Average years of schooling

Ireland

13.74 years

in 2020

Republic of Korea

13.68 years

in 2020

Ireland rank

1st

Republic of Korea rank

2nd

Average years of schooling over time

Ireland
Republic of Korea

How they compare

Ireland currently reports 13.74 years against 13.68 years in Republic of Korea, a difference of 0.06 years.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Ireland ahead.

Ireland ranks 1st and Republic of Korea ranks 2nd of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 13 and Republic of Korea in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Ireland	Republic of Korea	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.8 years	0.01 years	0.79 years	Ireland
1880s	1.06 years	0.01 years	1.05 years	Ireland
1890s	1.4 years	0.01 years	1.39 years	Ireland
1900s	1.82 years	0.45 years	1.37 years	Ireland
1910s	2.37 years	1.14 years	1.23 years	Ireland
1920s	3.1 years	2.17 years	0.935 years	Ireland
1930s	4.09 years	3.02 years	1.07 years	Ireland
1940s	5.43 years	3.79 years	1.63 years	Ireland
1950s	6.57 years	4.93 years	1.64 years	Ireland
1960s	7.19 years	5.07 years	2.12 years	Ireland
1970s	8.42 years	7.06 years	1.36 years	Ireland
1980s	10.03 years	9.06 years	0.965 years	Ireland
1990s	10.72 years	10.82 years	0.095 years	Republic of Korea
2000s	11.41 years	12.04 years	0.62 years	Republic of Korea
2010s	13.01 years	13.14 years	0.135 years	Republic of Korea
2020s	13.74 years	13.68 years	0.06 years	Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Ireland or Republic of Korea?: Ireland, at 13.74 years against 13.68 years in Republic of Korea as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Ireland and Republic of Korea?: 0.06 years, with Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Republic of Korea?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Ireland and Republic of Korea rank globally for average years of schooling?: Ireland ranks 1st and Republic of Korea ranks 2nd 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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Ireland vs Republic of Korea: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/ireland/korea-rep/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/ireland/korea-rep/">Ireland vs Republic of Korea: Average years of schooling</a> — Statizoid

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.