Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Mali
Mali: Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling was 1.63 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Mali, 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 Mali stood at 1.63 years.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Mali peaked at 2.04 years in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.8443 years, in 1990.
That places Mali 191st 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.
Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Mali, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.8443 years | — |
| 1991 | 0.8818 years | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 0.9193 years | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 0.9569 years | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 0.9944 years | +3.9% |
| 1995 | 1.03 years | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 1.06 years | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 1.09 years | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 1.12 years | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 1.15 years | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 1.18 years | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 1.22 years | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 1.25 years | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 1.29 years | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 1.33 years | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 1.36 years | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 1.44 years | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 1.56 years | +8.1% |
| 2008 | 1.67 years | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 1.79 years | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 1.9 years | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 2.02 years | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 1.97 years | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 1.93 years | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 1.88 years | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 1.83 years | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 1.53 years | -16.4% |
| 2017 | 1.7 years | +11.1% |
| 2018 | 1.87 years | +10.0% |
| 2019 | 2.04 years | +9.2% |
| 2020 | 1.63 years | -20.2% |
| 2021 | 1.63 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.63 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.63 years | +0.0% |
Mali compared with similar countries
- Mali's 1.63 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.59 years, 36% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Mali's 1.63 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.96 years, 27% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.01 years | 0.8443 years | 1.15 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.41 years | 1.18 years | 1.79 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.87 years | 1.53 years | 2.04 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.63 years | 1.63 years | 1.63 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mali
More education data for Mali
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 80,395 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 512,692 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 82,198 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 83,509 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.31 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.97 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.42 % change on previous year (2018)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1251 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Mali?
- Average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling in Mali was 1.63 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 Mali?
- The highest recorded value was 2.04 years in 2019.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling recorded in Mali?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8443 years in 1990.
- How does Mali rank for average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling?
- Mali ranks 191st out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. expected years of schooling rising or falling in Mali?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mali 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.