Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 2.51 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Afghanistan, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Afghanistan stood at 2.51 years.
The figure is up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Afghanistan peaked at 2.99 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.872 years, in 1990.
That places Afghanistan 186th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.06 years | 0.872 years | 1.23 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.52 years | 1.26 years | 1.82 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2 years | 1.89 years | 2.7 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.72 years | 2.51 years | 2.99 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Duration of pre-primary education 1 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 6 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 55.0% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 42.6% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 13 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 7 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 112.2% (2023)
- Primary education, teachers 163,167 (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 4.76 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 97.9% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Afghanistan?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Afghanistan was 2.51 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.99 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.872 years in 1990.
- How does Afghanistan rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- Afghanistan ranks 186th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.