Human capital composite index in South Africa
South Africa: Human capital composite index was 0.626 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Human capital composite index in South Africa, 1987–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in standard deviations from the yearly mean.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.626 standard deviations from the yearly mean for human capital composite index in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, human capital composite index in South Africa peaked at 0.6988 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1994 and was at its lowest, -0.0602 standard deviations from the yearly mean, in 2003.
South Africa ranks 43rd of 202 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Human capital composite index in South Africa, year by year
| Year | standard deviations from the yearly mean | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 0.0653 standard deviations from the yearly mean | — |
| 1988 | 0.035 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -46.4% |
| 1989 | 0.5364 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +1432.0% |
| 1990 | 0.6663 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +24.2% |
| 1991 | 0.6547 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 0.6988 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 0.6557 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -6.2% |
| 1998 | 0.6092 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 0.4495 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -26.2% |
| 2000 | 0.2208 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -50.9% |
| 2001 | 0.0406 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -81.6% |
| 2002 | 0.0067 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -83.5% |
| 2003 | -0.0602 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -997.8% |
| 2004 | 0.0729 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -221.0% |
| 2005 | 0.0284 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -61.0% |
| 2006 | 0.1071 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +276.7% |
| 2007 | 0.2456 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +129.3% |
| 2008 | 0.09 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -63.4% |
| 2009 | 0.2853 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +217.1% |
| 2010 | 0.3813 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +33.6% |
| 2011 | 0.4583 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +20.2% |
| 2012 | 0.5439 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +18.7% |
| 2013 | 0.3639 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -33.1% |
| 2014 | 0.5904 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +62.3% |
| 2015 | 0.671 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 0.4844 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -27.8% |
| 2017 | 0.5314 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +9.7% |
| 2018 | 0.4553 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -14.3% |
| 2019 | 0.5793 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +27.2% |
| 2020 | 0.4837 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -16.5% |
| 2021 | 0.612 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +26.5% |
| 2022 | 0.6276 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 0.6766 standard deviations from the yearly mean | +7.8% |
| 2024 | 0.626 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -7.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.626 standard deviations from the yearly mean is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.096 standard deviations from the yearly mean, 6.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.626 standard deviations from the yearly mean is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.5172 standard deviations from the yearly mean. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Human capital composite index in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +1432.0% | 0.035 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.5364 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 2003 | -997.8% | 0.0067 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.0602 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
| 2006 | +276.7% | 0.0284 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.1071 standard deviations from the yearly mean |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.2122 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.035 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.5364 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 3 |
| 1990s | 0.6224 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.4495 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.6988 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 6 |
| 2000s | 0.1037 standard deviations from the yearly mean | -0.0602 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.2853 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5059 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.3639 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.671 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6052 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.4837 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 0.6766 standard deviations from the yearly mean | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 40 Poland 0.6443 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 41 Tunisia 0.6417 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 42 Libya 0.6269 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 44 Peru 0.6184 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 45 Cyprus 0.6157 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
- 46 United Kingdom 0.6013 standard deviations from the yearly mean compare
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is human capital composite index in South Africa?
- Human capital composite index in South Africa was 0.626 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest human capital composite index recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6988 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 1994.
- What is the lowest human capital composite index recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0602 standard deviations from the yearly mean in 2003.
- How does South Africa rank for human capital composite index?
- South Africa ranks 43rd out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
- Is human capital composite index rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Human capital composite index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Literacy rate, adult total; School enrollment, primary; School enrollment, secondary; Government expenditure on education, total. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.
Equal-weighted mean of the standardised inputs below.
Computed from
- Literacy rate, adult total Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- School enrollment, primary Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- School enrollment, secondary Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- Government expenditure on education, total Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
An equal-weighted index of 4 indicators: Literacy rate, adult total; School enrollment, primary; School enrollment, secondary; Government expenditure on education, total. Each is standardised against that year's spread across all reporting countries before averaging, so a score of 0 is the average country and +1 is one standard deviation above it.