Which has higher average years of schooling, Malawi or Rwanda?

Malawi, at 4.49 years against 4.43 years in Rwanda as of 2020.

How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Rwanda?

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.

Malawi vs Rwanda: Average years of schooling

Malawi

4.49 years

in 2020

Rwanda

4.43 years

in 2020

Malawi rank

146th

Rwanda rank

147th

Average years of schooling over time

Malawi
Rwanda

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 4.49 years against 4.43 years in Rwanda, a difference of 0.06 years.

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

Malawi ranks 146th and Rwanda ranks 147th of 162 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade	Malawi	Rwanda	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.4 years	0.1 years	0.3 years	Malawi
1880s	0.4 years	0.1 years	0.3 years	Malawi
1890s	0.4 years	0.1 years	0.3 years	Malawi
1900s	0.4 years	0.1 years	0.3 years	Malawi
1910s	0.4 years	0.1 years	0.3 years	Malawi
1920s	0.4 years	0.1085 years	0.2915 years	Malawi
1930s	0.4018 years	0.1793 years	0.2225 years	Malawi
1950s	0.5241 years	0.3399 years	0.1842 years	Malawi
1960s	0.9067 years	0.7537 years	0.153 years	Malawi
1970s	1.35 years	1.15 years	0.1975 years	Malawi
1980s	2.38 years	1.61 years	0.7697 years	Malawi
1990s	3.23 years	2.19 years	1.04 years	Malawi
2000s	4.34 years	2.96 years	1.38 years	Malawi
2010s	4.59 years	3.64 years	0.9463 years	Malawi
2020s	4.49 years	4.43 years	0.0644 years	Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Malawi or Rwanda?: Malawi, at 4.49 years against 4.43 years in Rwanda as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Malawi and Rwanda?: 0.06 years, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Rwanda?: 24 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Malawi and Rwanda rank globally for average years of schooling?: Malawi ranks 146th and Rwanda ranks 147th 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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Malawi vs Rwanda: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/years-of-schooling-prados-de-la-escosura/malawi/rwanda/

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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.