China vs Germany: Share of the population with at least some formal education

China
98.7%
in 2020
Germany
98.4%
in 2020
China rank
33rd
Germany rank
34th

Share of the population with at least some formal education over time

  • China
  • Germany
020406080100187019452020

How they compare

China currently reports 98.7% against 98.4% in Germany, a difference of 0.3%.

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

China ranks 33rd and Germany ranks 34th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and Germany in 15.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Germany Difference Ahead
1870s 0.0% 36.0% 36.0% Germany
1880s 0.0% 41.9% 41.9% Germany
1890s 0.1% 47.8% 47.7% Germany
1900s 0.4% 52.4% 52.0% Germany
1910s 1.0% 59.3% 58.3% Germany
1920s 2.7% 75.6% 72.9% Germany
1930s 6.6% 82.6% 76.0% Germany
1940s 26.1% 88.8% 62.6% Germany
1950s 35.0% 95.7% 60.7% Germany
1960s 50.8% 97.1% 46.3% Germany
1970s 67.9% 94.1% 26.2% Germany
1980s 81.2% 94.0% 12.8% Germany
1990s 85.2% 94.9% 9.7% Germany
2000s 94.7% 96.2% 1.6% Germany
2010s 97.7% 98.2% 0.5% Germany
2020s 98.7% 98.4% 0.3% China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher share of the population with at least some formal education, China or Germany?
China, at 98.7% against 98.4% in Germany as of 2020.
What is the difference in share of the population with at least some formal education between China and Germany?
0.3%, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Germany?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do China and Germany rank globally for share of the population with at least some formal education?
China ranks 33rd and Germany ranks 34th 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 Share of the population with at least some formal education. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Germany: Share of the population with at least some formal education. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/population-having-attained-at-least-basic-education/china/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of the population with at least some formal education
Unit
%
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

Based on the population aged 15 years and older.