Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Zambia
Zambia: Average years of schooling, males vs. females was 8.42 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Zambia, 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 Zambia stood at 8.42 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling, males vs. females in Zambia peaked at 8.42 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.78 years, in 1990.
That places Zambia 125th 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.78 years | — |
| 1991 | 5.86 years | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 5.95 years | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 6.03 years | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 6.11 years | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 6.19 years | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 6.28 years | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 6.36 years | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 6.44 years | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 6.53 years | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 6.61 years | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 6.69 years | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 6.77 years | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 6.86 years | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 6.94 years | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 7.02 years | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 7.11 years | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 7.19 years | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 7.27 years | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 7.35 years | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 7.44 years | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 7.52 years | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 7.6 years | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 7.69 years | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 7.77 years | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 7.85 years | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 7.93 years | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 8.02 years | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 8.1 years | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 8.21 years | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 8.33 years | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 8.42 years | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 8.42 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8.42 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.15 years | 5.78 years | 6.53 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.98 years | 6.61 years | 7.35 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.81 years | 7.44 years | 8.21 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4 years | 8.33 years | 8.42 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More education data for Zambia
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 169,961 (2013)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.39 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.49 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2106 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 4.49 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.55 % change on previous year (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling, males vs. females in Zambia?
- Average years of schooling, males vs. females in Zambia was 8.42 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.42 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.78 years in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for average years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Zambia ranks 125th out of 191 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.