Which has higher average years of schooling, Greece or South Africa?

Greece, at 11.41 years against 11.37 years in South Africa as of 2020.

How many years of comparable data are there for Greece and South Africa?

24 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.

Where does this data come from?

Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor 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.

Greece vs South Africa: Average years of schooling

Greece

11.41 years

in 2020

South Africa

11.37 years

in 2020

Greece rank

47th

South Africa rank

49th

Average years of schooling over time

Greece
South Africa

How they compare

Greece currently reports 11.41 years against 11.37 years in South Africa, a difference of 0.04 years.

Across all 24 years both countries report, Greece has been ahead every year.

Greece ranks 47th and South Africa ranks 49th of 162 countries.

Greece has averaged higher in every one of the 15 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Greece	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1870s	1.41 years	1.1 years	0.31 years	Greece
1880s	1.76 years	1.1 years	0.66 years	Greece
1890s	2.07 years	1.1 years	0.97 years	Greece
1900s	2.37 years	1.1 years	1.27 years	Greece
1910s	2.71 years	1.12 years	1.59 years	Greece
1920s	3.71 years	1.78 years	1.93 years	Greece
1930s	4.34 years	2.25 years	2.09 years	Greece
1950s	5.32 years	3.38 years	1.94 years	Greece
1960s	6.06 years	4.15 years	1.91 years	Greece
1970s	6.93 years	4.93 years	2 years	Greece
1980s	7.74 years	4.96 years	2.77 years	Greece
1990s	8.94 years	6.71 years	2.23 years	Greece
2000s	10.08 years	7.7 years	2.38 years	Greece
2010s	10.62 years	9.43 years	1.19 years	Greece
2020s	11.41 years	11.37 years	0.0353 years	Greece

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Greece or South Africa?: Greece, at 11.41 years against 11.37 years in South Africa as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Greece and South Africa?: 0.04 years, with Greece ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Greece and South Africa?: 24 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Greece and South Africa rank globally for average years of schooling?: Greece ranks 47th and South Africa ranks 49th of 162 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor 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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Greece vs South Africa: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/years-of-schooling-prados-de-la-escosura/greece/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Average years of schooling
Unit: years
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 163 places, 3,421 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Average number of years of total schooling (primary, secondary, and tertiary) for the population aged 15 and over.