Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years, both sexes by country
February 2026 Data Release
Countries reporting
124
Highest
14.26
Germany
Lowest
1.63
Mali
Median
10.64
Years covered
55
1970–2024
Data points
1,537
What the numbers show
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years, both sexes is currently reported for 124 countries. The highest value is 14.26 in Germany; the lowest is 1.63 in Mali.
The median across all reporting countries is 10.64, and the mean is 9.97.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 9.
Over the past decade 117 countries rose and 6 fell. The largest increase was in Burkina Faso (up 76.2%), and the largest decrease in Mali (down 19.3%).
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 14.26 | 2020 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 2 | United States of America | 13.98 | 2024 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 3 | Canada | 13.87 | 2021 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 4 | Switzerland | 13.86 | 2019 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 5 | Estonia | 13.57 | 2021 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 6 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 13.49 | 2021 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 7 | Cayman Islands | 13.43 | 2015 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 8 | Poland | 13.34 | 2021 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 9 | United Arab Emirates | 13.28 | 2024 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 10 | Latvia | 13.25 | 2019 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 11 | Lithuania | 13.18 | 2021 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 12 | Finland | 13.05 | 2021 | up 4.7% | rising |
| 13 | Bermuda | 13.03 | 2016 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 14 | Norway | 13 | 2019 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 15 | Denmark | 12.96 | 2020 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 16 | New Zealand | 12.94 | 2020 | up 1.5% | rising |
| 17 | Slovakia | 12.91 | 2019 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 18 | Australia | 12.87 | 2022 | up 4.6% | rising |
| 19 | Japan | 12.85 | 2020 | up 3.4% | rising |
| 20 | Slovenia | 12.8 | 2019 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 21 | Israel | 12.8 | 2022 | up 0.9% | rising |
| 22 | Puerto Rico | 12.79 | 2024 | up 5.3% | rising |
| 23 | Georgia | 12.76 | 2024 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 24 | Czechia | 12.74 | 2021 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 25 | Sweden | 12.61 | 2019 | up 3.9% | rising |
| 26 | Netherlands | 12.58 | 2020 | up 5.0% | rising |
| 27 | Bahamas | 12.57 | 2022 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 28 | Luxembourg | 12.46 | 2015 | up 10.6% | rising |
| 29 | Cyprus | 12.44 | 2020 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 30 | Kazakhstan | 12.39 | 2024 | up 3.3% | rising |
| 31 | Belgium | 12.38 | 2019 | up 9.4% | rising |
| 32 | Hong Kong, China | 12.35 | 2022 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 33 | Saudi Arabia | 12.28 | 2024 | up 27.1% | rising |
| 34 | Hungary | 12.26 | 2022 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 35 | Malta | 12.21 | 2020 | up 18.5% | rising |
| 36 | Republic of Korea | 12.12 | 2015 | up 7.8% | rising |
| 37 | Singapore | 11.99 | 2022 | up 8.8% | rising |
| 38 | Republic of Moldova | 11.94 | 2024 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 39 | Chile | 11.94 | 2022 | up 25.1% | rising |
| 40 | Serbia | 11.94 | 2022 | up 12.9% | rising |
| 41 | Austria | 11.94 | 2021 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 42 | Uzbekistan | 11.91 | 2022 | up 5.7% | rising |
| 43 | Bulgaria | 11.79 | 2021 | up 7.3% | rising |
| 44 | Oman | 11.71 | 2022 | up 45.4% | rising |
| 45 | Andorra | 11.61 | 2022 | up 10.7% | rising |
| 46 | France | 11.61 | 2019 | up 9.2% | rising |
| 47 | Romania | 11.55 | 2022 | up 5.4% | rising |
| 48 | Bahrain | 11.54 | 2024 | up 19.0% | rising |
| 49 | Armenia | 11.53 | 2022 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 50 | Qatar | 11.46 | 2024 | up 17.9% | rising |
| 51 | Ireland | 11.43 | 2017 | up 4.3% | rising |
| 52 | Greece | 11.41 | 2020 | up 11.8% | rising |
| 53 | Samoa | 11.4 | 2019 | up 14.2% | rising |
| 54 | Tonga | 11.1 | 2023 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 55 | Malaysia | 11.09 | 2022 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 56 | Azerbaijan | 11.07 | 2023 | up 4.7% | flat |
| 57 | Albania | 11.03 | 2023 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 58 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10.97 | 2022 | up 51.5% | rising |
| 59 | Sri Lanka | 10.86 | 2024 | up 1.7% | rising |
| 60 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.79 | 2022 | up 1.4% | rising |
| 61 | Italy | 10.74 | 2020 | up 9.3% | rising |
| 62 | Panama | 10.68 | 2023 | up 8.0% | rising |
| 63 | Spain | 10.61 | 2020 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 64 | Macau, China | 10.48 | 2016 | up 19.2% | rising |
| 65 | Argentina | 10.44 | 2022 | down 3.2% | rising |
| 66 | South Africa | 10.41 | 2023 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 67 | Fiji | 10.37 | 2021 | up 12.2% | rising |
| 68 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 10.31 | 2016 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 69 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 10.31 | 2016 | up 37.3% | rising |
| 70 | Brazil | 10.28 | 2024 | up 39.4% | rising |
| 71 | Jordan | 10.24 | 2023 | up 6.6% | rising |
| 72 | Palestine, State of | 10.13 | 2022 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 73 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 10.09 | 2024 | up 19.3% | rising |
| 74 | Jamaica | 9.96 | 2022 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 75 | Uruguay | 9.94 | 2024 | up 15.4% | rising |
| 76 | Dominican Republic | 9.93 | 2024 | up 29.8% | rising |
| 77 | Mexico | 9.77 | 2024 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 78 | Peru | 9.69 | 2023 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 79 | Paraguay | 9.64 | 2024 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 80 | Colombia | 9.53 | 2024 | up 19.2% | rising |
| 81 | Portugal | 9.39 | 2021 | up 13.5% | rising |
| 82 | Costa Rica | 9.37 | 2024 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 83 | Ecuador | 9.16 | 2024 | up 9.6% | rising |
| 84 | Suriname | 9.13 | 2022 | down 0.2% | rising |
| 85 | Thailand | 9.04 | 2022 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 86 | Viet Nam | 8.98 | 2022 | up 19.0% | rising |
| 87 | Philippines | 8.89 | 2020 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 88 | Kenya | 8.69 | 2024 | up 48.5% | rising |
| 89 | Zimbabwe | 8.69 | 2019 | up 10.4% | rising |
| 90 | Türkiye | 8.63 | 2019 | up 31.4% | rising |
| 91 | Indonesia | 8.56 | 2020 | up 17.4% | rising |
| 92 | Saint Lucia | 8.55 | 2019 | up 2.1% | rising |
| 93 | Mauritius | 8.52 | 2011 | up 35.3% | rising |
| 94 | Belize | 8.45 | 2022 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 95 | Nigeria | 8.18 | 2024 | up 16.9% | flat |
| 96 | Lesotho | 8.02 | 2024 | up 11.6% | rising |
| 97 | China | 7.95 | 2020 | up 13.6% | rising |
| 98 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 7.66 | 2023 | up 28.5% | rising |
| 99 | Tunisia | 7.59 | 2023 | up 12.7% | rising |
| 100 | Ghana | 7.42 | 2024 | up 21.3% | rising |
| 101 | India | 7.33 | 2023 | up 38.7% | rising |
| 102 | El Salvador | 7.3 | 2023 | up 13.4% | rising |
| 103 | Kuwait | 7.22 | 2018 | up 12.3% | rising |
| 104 | Algeria | 7.02 | 2019 | up 11.6% | rising |
| 105 | Honduras | 6.8 | 2024 | up 10.2% | rising |
| 106 | Bangladesh | 6.79 | 2021 | up 30.5% | rising |
| 107 | Syrian Arab Republic | 6.49 | 2009 | up 37.3% | rising |
| 108 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 6.07 | 2022 | up 11.3% | rising |
| 109 | Uganda | 6.05 | 2024 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 110 | Guatemala | 5.97 | 2024 | up 2.3% | rising |
| 111 | Gambia | 5.33 | 2023 | up 0.7% | rising |
| 112 | Malawi | 5.24 | 2020 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 113 | Cambodia | 5.2 | 2021 | up 32.0% | rising |
| 114 | Pakistan | 4.98 | 2021 | up 4.0% | rising |
| 115 | Rwanda | 4.88 | 2022 | up 29.6% | rising |
| 116 | Mozambique | 4.59 | 2022 | up 75.2% | rising |
| 117 | Nepal | 4.5 | 2021 | up 27.9% | volatile |
| 118 | Ethiopia | 3.82 | 2022 | up 76.0% | rising |
| 119 | Senegal | 3.31 | 2023 | up 19.0% | rising |
| 120 | Benin | 3.19 | 2021 | — | rising |
| 121 | Afghanistan | 2.51 | 2022 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 122 | Burkina Faso | 2.27 | 2021 | up 76.2% | rising |
| 123 | Guinea | 2.13 | 2018 | up 34.6% | rising |
| 124 | Mali | 1.63 | 2020 | down 19.3% | rising |
About this data
February 2026 Data Release