Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Average years of schooling, males vs. females was 13.33 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Republic of Korea, 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 Republic of Korea stood at 13.33 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling, males vs. females in Republic of Korea peaked at 13.33 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10.53 years, in 1990.
That places Republic of Korea 10th out of 191 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.53 years | — |
| 1991 | 10.67 years | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 10.81 years | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 10.96 years | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 11.1 years | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 11.24 years | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 11.32 years | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 11.41 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 11.49 years | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 11.58 years | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 11.66 years | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 11.77 years | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 11.88 years | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 11.99 years | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 12.1 years | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 12.21 years | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 12.12 years | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 12.04 years | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 11.95 years | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 11.86 years | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 12.46 years | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 12.54 years | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 12.62 years | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 12.69 years | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 12.77 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 12.85 years | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 12.93 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 13.01 years | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 13.09 years | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 13.17 years | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 13.25 years | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 13.33 years | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 13.33 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 13.33 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.11 years | 10.53 years | 11.58 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.96 years | 11.66 years | 12.21 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.81 years | 12.46 years | 13.17 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.31 years | 13.25 years | 13.33 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
- 7 Israel 13.48 years compare
- 8 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 13.43 years compare
- 9 Montenegro 13.34 years compare
- 11 Estonia 13.33 years compare
- 12 Palau 13.26 years compare
- 13 United Arab Emirates 13.11 years compare
More education data for Republic of Korea
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0484 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per capita 0.0484 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.22 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling, males vs. females in Republic of Korea?
- Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Republic of Korea was 13.33 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 Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 13.33 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.53 years in 1990.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for average years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Republic of Korea ranks 10th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea 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.