Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland
Ireland: Expected years of schooling, males vs. females was 18.8 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Expected 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 expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland is 18.8 years, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland peaked at 19.49 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 12.54 years, in 1990.
Ireland ranks 6th 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 Ireland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 12.54 years | — |
| 1991 | 12.58 years | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 12.76 years | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 13.31 years | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 13.65 years | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 13.69 years | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 13.65 years | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 13.66 years | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 16.12 years | +18.0% |
| 1999 | 15.9 years | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 16.23 years | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 16.28 years | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 16.44 years | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 16.6 years | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 17.36 years | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 17.27 years | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 17.22 years | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 17.29 years | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 17.13 years | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 17.32 years | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 17.82 years | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 18.11 years | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 18.16 years | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 18.16 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 18.17 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 18.82 years | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 18.93 years | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 18.85 years | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 19.49 years | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 18.86 years | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 18.66 years | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 19.01 years | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 18.8 years | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 18.8 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.79 years | 12.54 years | 16.12 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.91 years | 16.23 years | 17.36 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.54 years | 17.82 years | 19.49 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.82 years | 18.66 years | 19.01 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
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 expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland?
- Expected years of schooling, males vs. females in Ireland was 18.8 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 19.49 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest expected years of schooling, males vs. females recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.54 years in 1990.
- How does Ireland rank for expected years of schooling, males vs. females?
- Ireland ranks 6th out of 194 countries with data for 2023.
- Is expected years of schooling, males vs. females rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. 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 Expected 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
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.