Duration of compulsory education (years) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Duration of compulsory education (years) was 9 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
9 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
120th
of 206 countries
All-time high
9 years
in 2004
All-time low
9 years
in 2004
Years of data
22
2004–2025
Duration of compulsory education in Saudi Arabia, 2004–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 9 years for duration of compulsory education in 2025. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of compulsory education in Saudi Arabia peaked at 9 years in 2004 and was at its lowest, 9 years, in 2004.
That places Saudi Arabia 120th out of 206 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Duration of compulsory education (years) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 9 years | — |
| 2005 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 9 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 9 years | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 9 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 11 years, 82% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 9 years is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10 years, 90% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9 years | 9 years | 9 years | 6 |
| 2010s | 9 years | 9 years | 9 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 9 years | 9 years | 9 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 120 Afghanistan 9 years compare
- 120 Albania 9 years compare
- 120 Azerbaijan 9 years compare
- 120 Bahrain 9 years compare
- 120 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9 years compare
- 120 Brunei 9 years compare
- 120 China 9 years compare
- 120 Cuba 9 years compare
- 120 Estonia 9 years compare
- 120 Georgia 9 years compare
- 120 Gambia 9 years compare
- 120 Guinea-Bissau 9 years compare
- 120 Hong Kong 9 years compare
- 120 Indonesia 9 years compare
- 120 Iran 9 years compare
- 120 Japan 9 years compare
- 120 Kazakhstan 9 years compare
- 120 Kiribati 9 years compare
- 120 South Korea 9 years compare
- 120 Kuwait 9 years compare
- 120 Laos 9 years compare
- 120 Libya 9 years compare
- 120 Liechtenstein 9 years compare
- 120 Morocco 9 years compare
- 120 Mali 9 years compare
- 120 Montenegro 9 years compare
- 120 Mauritania 9 years compare
- 120 Nigeria 9 years compare
- 120 Nepal 9 years compare
- 120 Poland 9 years compare
- 120 Sierra Leone 9 years compare
- 120 Slovenia 9 years compare
- 120 Syria 9 years compare
- 120 Thailand 9 years compare
- 120 Tajikistan 9 years compare
- 120 East Timor 9 years compare
- 120 Tunisia 9 years compare
- 120 Tuvalu 9 years compare
- 120 Yemen 9 years compare
- 120 South Africa 9 years compare
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.72 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.47 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of compulsory education in Saudi Arabia?
- Duration of compulsory education in Saudi Arabia was 9 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest duration of compulsory education recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 9 years in 2004.
- What is the lowest duration of compulsory education recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9 years in 2004.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for duration of compulsory education?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 120th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of compulsory education rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Duration of compulsory education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release