Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland
Ireland: Average years of schooling, males vs. females was 11.51 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland, 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, males vs. females in Ireland is 11.51 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland peaked at 11.51 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 9.1 years, in 1990.
That places Ireland 57th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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, males vs. females in Ireland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.1 years | — |
| 1991 | 9.23 years | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 9.36 years | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 9.49 years | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 9.62 years | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 9.74 years | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 9.87 years | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 10 years | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 10.13 years | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 10.26 years | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 10.39 years | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 10.52 years | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 10.65 years | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 10.77 years | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 10.9 years | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 11.03 years | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 11.16 years | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 11.16 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 11.25 years | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 11.34 years | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 11.43 years | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 10.82 years | -5.3% |
| 2012 | 10.89 years | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 10.96 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 11.03 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 11.09 years | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 11.16 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 11.23 years | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 11.3 years | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 11.37 years | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 11.44 years | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 11.51 years | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 11.51 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.51 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.68 years | 9.1 years | 10.26 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.92 years | 10.39 years | 11.34 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.13 years | 10.82 years | 11.43 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.49 years | 11.44 years | 11.51 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
- 54 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11.66 years compare
- 55 Tajikistan 11.62 years compare
- 56 Turkmenistan 11.55 years compare
- 58 Seychelles 11.39 years compare
- 59 Chile 11.39 years compare
- 60 San Marino 11.38 years compare
More education data for Ireland
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,942 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,745 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 49,975 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 456,625 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 548,873 (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.49 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1053 units per person (2022)
- 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 Ireland?
- Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland was 11.51 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 11.51 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.1 years in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for average years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Ireland ranks 57th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.