Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium
Belgium: Expected years of schooling, males vs. females was 17.96 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium, 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 expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium is 17.96 years, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium peaked at 18.78 years in 2017 and was at its lowest, 14.07 years, in 1990.
Belgium ranks 10th of 194 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.07 years | — |
| 1991 | 14.14 years | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 15.35 years | +8.6% |
| 1993 | 16.57 years | +7.9% |
| 1994 | 16.84 years | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 17.18 years | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 17.39 years | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 17.33 years | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 17.28 years | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 17.22 years | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 17.28 years | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 17.73 years | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 17.85 years | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 18.14 years | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 17.87 years | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 18.08 years | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 18.27 years | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 18.24 years | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 18.22 years | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 18.24 years | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 18.33 years | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 18.15 years | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 18.23 years | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 18.37 years | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 18.72 years | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 18.78 years | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 18.68 years | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 18.78 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 18.59 years | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 18.55 years | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 18.27 years | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 17.99 years | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 17.96 years | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 17.96 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.34 years | 14.07 years | 17.39 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.99 years | 17.28 years | 18.27 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.52 years | 18.15 years | 18.78 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.05 years | 17.96 years | 18.27 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More education data for Belgium
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 210,503 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.18 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 814,388 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.1356 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0691 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 814,388 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.1356 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium?
- Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Belgium was 17.96 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest expected years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 18.78 years in 2017.
- What is the lowest expected years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.07 years in 1990.
- How does Belgium rank for expected years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Belgium ranks 10th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is expected years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Expected years of schooling, males vs. females. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of years a boy of school-entrance-age can expect to receive if the current age-specific enrollment rates persist throughout the child's life.