Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iraq
Iraq: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 6.78 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iraq, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 6.78 years for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iraq peaked at 6.78 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.87 years, in 1990.
That places Iraq 145th 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 | 5.19 years | 4.87 years | 5.53 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.97 years | 5.6 years | 6.32 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.58 years | 6.4 years | 6.72 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.77 years | 6.75 years | 6.78 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More education data for Iraq
- Duration of pre-primary education 2 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 4 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 60.5% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 36.0% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 104.6% (2007)
- Primary education, teachers 286,890 (2007)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 3.22 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 94.9% (2007)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iraq?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Iraq was 6.78 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 6.78 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.87 years in 1990.
- How does Iraq rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- Iraq ranks 145th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq 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.