Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Malaysia
Malaysia: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 11.09 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia is 11.09 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Malaysia peaked at 11.09 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.15 years, in 1990.
Malaysia ranks 68th 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.
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.15 years | — |
| 1991 | 6.34 years | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 6.54 years | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 6.73 years | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 6.92 years | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 7.12 years | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 7.23 years | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 7.53 years | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 7.83 years | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 8.12 years | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 8.42 years | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 8.25 years | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 8.09 years | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 7.92 years | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 7.76 years | -2.1% |
| 2005 | 7.59 years | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 8.08 years | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 8.57 years | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 9.07 years | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 9.56 years | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 9.7 years | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 9.81 years | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 9.92 years | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 10.04 years | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 10.15 years | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 10.26 years | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 10.37 years | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 10.46 years | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 10.56 years | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 10.65 years | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 10.8 years | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 10.94 years | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 11.09 years | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 11.09 years | +0.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 11.09 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.11 years, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 11.09 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.43 years, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.05 years | 6.15 years | 8.12 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.33 years | 7.59 years | 9.56 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.19 years | 9.7 years | 10.65 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.98 years | 10.8 years | 11.09 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Malaysia?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Malaysia was 11.09 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 11.09 years in 2022.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.15 years in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- Malaysia ranks 68th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.