Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Average years of schooling, males vs. females was 3.91 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Afghanistan, 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, males vs. females in Afghanistan stood at 3.91 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling, males vs. females in Afghanistan peaked at 3.91 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.49 years, in 1990.
That places Afghanistan 184th out of 191 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, males vs. females in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.49 years | — |
| 1991 | 1.58 years | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 1.66 years | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 1.75 years | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 1.83 years | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 1.92 years | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 1.98 years | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 2.04 years | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 2.1 years | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 2.16 years | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.22 years | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 2.28 years | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 2.34 years | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 2.4 years | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 2.45 years | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 2.51 years | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 2.62 years | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 2.73 years | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 2.84 years | +4.1% |
| 2009 | 2.95 years | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 3.07 years | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 3.14 years | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 3.21 years | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 3.29 years | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 3.36 years | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 3.44 years | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 3.43 years | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 3.42 years | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 3.42 years | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 3.41 years | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 3.41 years | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 3.4 years | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 3.91 years | +15.1% |
| 2023 | 3.91 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.85 years | 1.49 years | 2.16 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.53 years | 2.22 years | 2.95 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.32 years | 3.07 years | 3.44 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.66 years | 3.4 years | 3.91 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More education data for Afghanistan
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 343,942 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 13,837 (2003)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 10,383 (2003)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.51 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2019)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1811 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling, males vs. females in Afghanistan?
- Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Afghanistan was 3.91 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, males vs. females recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.91 years in 2022.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.49 years in 1990.
- How does Afghanistan rank for average years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Afghanistan ranks 184th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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, males vs. females. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) men over 25 years participated in formal education.