Panama vs South Africa: Average years of schooling

Panama
10.44 years
in 2020
South Africa
10.47 years
in 2020
Panama rank
42nd
South Africa rank
41st

Average years of schooling over time

  • Panama
  • South Africa
02.557.510187019452020

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 10.47 years against 10.44 years in Panama, a difference of 0.03 years.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was South Africa ahead.

Panama ranks 42nd and South Africa ranks 41st of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Panama averaged higher in 6 and South Africa in 10.

Head to head by decade

Decade Panama South Africa Difference Ahead
1870s 0.095 years 0.74 years 0.645 years South Africa
1880s 0.15 years 1.05 years 0.905 years South Africa
1890s 0.235 years 1.3 years 1.06 years South Africa
1900s 0.955 years 1.23 years 0.275 years South Africa
1910s 1.61 years 1.45 years 0.17 years Panama
1920s 2.06 years 2.56 years 0.51 years South Africa
1930s 2.7 years 3.25 years 0.56 years South Africa
1940s 3.3 years 3.84 years 0.54 years South Africa
1950s 4.06 years 4.3 years 0.235 years South Africa
1960s 4.88 years 4.51 years 0.37 years Panama
1970s 5.74 years 4.8 years 0.945 years Panama
1980s 7.24 years 5.2 years 2.04 years Panama
1990s 8.39 years 7.63 years 0.765 years Panama
2000s 9.38 years 8.39 years 0.985 years Panama
2010s 9.89 years 10.02 years 0.13 years South Africa
2020s 10.44 years 10.47 years 0.03 years South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Panama or South Africa?
South Africa, at 10.47 years against 10.44 years in Panama as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Panama and South Africa?
0.03 years, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Panama and South Africa?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Panama and South Africa rank globally for average years of schooling?
Panama ranks 42nd and South Africa ranks 41st 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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Panama vs South Africa: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/panama/south-africa/

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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.