Malawi vs Sierra Leone: Average years of schooling

Malawi
5.41 years
in 2020
Sierra Leone
4.99 years
in 2020
Malawi rank
103rd
Sierra Leone rank
104th

Average years of schooling over time

  • Malawi
  • Sierra Leone
0246187019452020

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 5.41 years against 4.99 years in Sierra Leone, a difference of 0.42 years.

That makes Malawi's figure about 1.1 times Sierra Leone's.

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

Malawi ranks 103rd and Sierra Leone ranks 104th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Malawi averaged higher in 12 and Sierra Leone in 4.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malawi Sierra Leone Difference Ahead
1870s 0.01 years 0.025 years 0.015 years Sierra Leone
1880s 0.01 years 0.035 years 0.025 years Sierra Leone
1890s 0.01 years 0.055 years 0.045 years Sierra Leone
1900s 0.015 years 0.09 years 0.075 years Sierra Leone
1910s 0.18 years 0.165 years 0.015 years Malawi
1920s 0.365 years 0.215 years 0.15 years Malawi
1930s 0.565 years 0.25 years 0.315 years Malawi
1940s 0.78 years 0.335 years 0.445 years Malawi
1950s 1.02 years 0.435 years 0.585 years Malawi
1960s 1.21 years 0.595 years 0.615 years Malawi
1970s 1.79 years 1 years 0.79 years Malawi
1980s 2.73 years 1.62 years 1.1 years Malawi
1990s 3.22 years 2.36 years 0.86 years Malawi
2000s 4.2 years 3.13 years 1.07 years Malawi
2010s 4.94 years 4.26 years 0.68 years Malawi
2020s 5.41 years 4.99 years 0.42 years Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Malawi or Sierra Leone?
Malawi, at 5.41 years against 4.99 years in Sierra Leone as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Malawi and Sierra Leone?
0.42 years, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Sierra Leone?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Malawi and Sierra Leone rank globally for average years of schooling?
Malawi ranks 103rd 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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Malawi 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 28 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/malawi/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

Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.