Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in China
China: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 8.04 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in China, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
China recorded 8.04 years for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in China peaked at 8.04 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.14 years, in 1990.
China ranks 127th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.03 years | 4.14 years | 5.92 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.54 years | 6.12 years | 6.97 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.48 years | 7.06 years | 7.88 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.01 years | 7.95 years | 8.04 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 69.7% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 15.4% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 99.6% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 6.74 million (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 1.01 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 100.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in China?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in China was 8.04 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 8.04 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.14 years in 1990.
- How does China rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- China ranks 127th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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.