Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iceland
Iceland: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 13.91 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iceland, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iceland is 13.91 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iceland peaked at 13.91 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10.51 years, in 1990.
Iceland ranks 4th of 192 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.05 years | 10.51 years | 11.61 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.34 years | 11.74 years | 12.83 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.32 years | 12.92 years | 13.73 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.87 years | 13.77 years | 13.91 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More education data for Iceland
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 66.5% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.5% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 13 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 98.2% (2023)
- Primary education, teachers 3,568 (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 1.52 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 98.2% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iceland?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iceland was 13.91 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.91 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.51 years in 1990.
- How does Iceland rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- Iceland ranks 4th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.
Download this data
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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.