Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Canada
Canada: Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years was 13.79 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Canada, 1976–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Canada recorded 13.79 for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in 2021. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Canada peaked at 13.79 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 10, in 1976.
Canada ranks 4th of 121 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 10 | — |
| 1981 | 10.59 | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 10.65 | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 11.09 | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 12.72 | +14.7% |
| 2006 | 13.37 | +5.1% |
| 2011 | 13.57 | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 13.68 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 13.79 | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| 1980s | 10.62 | 10.59 | 10.65 | 2 |
| 1990s | 11.09 | 11.09 | 11.09 | 1 |
| 2000s | 13.04 | 12.72 | 13.37 | 2 |
| 2010s | 13.63 | 13.57 | 13.68 | 2 |
| 2020s | 13.79 | 13.79 | 13.79 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 1 Germany 14.54 compare
- 2 Switzerland 14.25 compare
- 3 United States of America 13.89 compare
- 5 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 13.43 compare
- 6 Cayman Islands 13.32 compare
- 7 Japan 13.23 compare
More education data for Canada
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0607 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Canada?
- Mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Canada was 13.79 in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 13.79 in 2021.
- What is the lowest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 10 in 1976.
- How does Canada rank for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years?
- Canada ranks 4th out of 121 countries with data for 2021.
- Is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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, male. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release