Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in China
China: Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years was 7.95 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in China, 1982–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
China recorded 7.95 for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
The figure is up 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in China peaked at 7.95 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.97, in 1982.
That places China 97th out of 124 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 3.97 | — |
| 1990 | 4.14 | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 6.12 | +47.6% |
| 2010 | 7 | +14.5% |
| 2020 | 7.95 | +13.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 1 |
| 1990s | 4.14 | 4.14 | 4.14 | 1 |
| 2000s | 6.12 | 6.12 | 6.12 | 1 |
| 2010s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 2020s | 7.95 | 7.95 | 7.95 | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in China?
- Mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in China was 7.95 in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 7.95 in 2020.
- What is the lowest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.97 in 1982.
- How does China rank for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years?
- China ranks 97th out of 124 countries with data for 2020.
- Is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years, both sexes. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release