China vs South Korea: Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years)
China
3 years
in 2025
South Korea
3 years
in 2025
China rank
52nd
South Korea rank
52nd
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) over time
- China
- South Korea
How they compare
China currently reports 3 years against 3 years in South Korea, a difference of 0 years.
Across all 56 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.
China ranks 52nd and South Korea ranks 52nd of 221 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.2 years | 3 years | 0.8 years | South Korea |
| 1980s | 3 years | 3 years | 0 years | — |
| 1990s | 3 years | 3 years | 0 years | — |
| 2000s | 3 years | 3 years | 0 years | — |
| 2010s | 3 years | 3 years | 0 years | — |
| 2020s | 3 years | 3 years | 0 years | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher theoretical duration of upper secondary education, China or South Korea?
- China, at 3 years against 3 years in South Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in theoretical duration of upper secondary education between China and South Korea?
- 0 years, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Korea?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do China and South Korea rank globally for theoretical duration of upper secondary education?
- China ranks 52nd and South Korea ranks 52nd of 221 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release