Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran
Iran: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 98.5% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran, 1820–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran is 98.5%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran peaked at 98.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1820.
That places Iran 36th out of 190 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.0% | — |
| 1825 | 0.0% | — |
| 1830 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1840 | 0.0% | — |
| 1845 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.0% | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.0% | +100.0% |
| 1865 | 0.0% | +50.0% |
| 1870 | 0.0% | +33.3% |
| 1875 | 0.1% | +25.0% |
| 1880 | 0.1% | +40.0% |
| 1885 | 0.1% | +28.6% |
| 1890 | 0.1% | +44.4% |
| 1895 | 0.2% | +38.5% |
| 1900 | 0.2% | +38.9% |
| 1905 | 0.3% | +36.0% |
| 1910 | 0.5% | +41.2% |
| 1915 | 0.7% | +37.5% |
| 1920 | 0.9% | +36.4% |
| 1925 | 1.8% | +103.3% |
| 1930 | 4.0% | +119.1% |
| 1935 | 5.4% | +34.7% |
| 1940 | 7.2% | +34.1% |
| 1945 | 9.6% | +33.0% |
| 1950 | 12.7% | +32.0% |
| 1955 | 15.9% | +25.4% |
| 1960 | 22.0% | +38.0% |
| 1965 | 31.9% | +45.1% |
| 1970 | 46.1% | +44.4% |
| 1975 | 64.7% | +40.4% |
| 1980 | 70.9% | +9.6% |
| 1984 | 74.5% | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 75.7% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 76.7% | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 78.2% | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 78.9% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 83.8% | +6.1% |
| 1992 | 87.5% | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 86.5% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 80.5% | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 81.2% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 94.3% | +16.2% |
| 2006 | 98.5% | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 95.7% | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 96.1% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 95.4% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 96.0% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 96.5% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 96.4% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 96.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 96.6% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 97.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 98.6% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 98.5% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.1%, 1.0× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Iran's 98.5% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 96.2%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | +119.1% | 1.8% | 4.0% |
| 1835 | -100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1925 | +103.3% | 0.9% | 1.8% |
| 1860 | +100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1830s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 1920s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.8% | 2 |
| 1930s | 4.7% | 4.0% | 5.4% | 2 |
| 1940s | 8.4% | 7.2% | 9.6% | 2 |
| 1950s | 14.3% | 12.7% | 15.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 27.0% | 22.0% | 31.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 55.4% | 46.1% | 64.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 76.0% | 70.9% | 78.9% | 7 |
| 1990s | 84.6% | 80.5% | 87.5% | 4 |
| 2000s | 93.2% | 81.2% | 98.5% | 5 |
| 2010s | 96.7% | 95.4% | 98.6% | 8 |
| 2020s | 98.5% | 98.5% | 98.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More education data for Iran
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 406,399 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 108,066 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 519,698 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 505,053 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.62 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 9.09 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1003 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Iran was 98.5% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 98.6% in 2019.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1820.
- How does Iran rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- Iran ranks 36th out of 190 countries with data for 2020.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.