Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi
Malawi: Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years was 6.4 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
6.4
World rank
110th
of 121 countries
All-time high
6.5
in 2015
All-time low
2.35
in 1977
Years of data
5
1977–2020
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi, 1977–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi is 6.4, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi peaked at 6.5 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2.35, in 1977.
Malawi ranks 110th of 121 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Mean years of schooling (ISCED 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 2.35 | — |
| 1987 | 2.89 | +22.9% |
| 1998 | 3.58 | +23.6% |
| 2015 | 6.5 | +81.8% |
| 2020 | 6.4 | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.35 | 2.35 | 2.35 | 1 |
| 1980s | 2.89 | 2.89 | 2.89 | 1 |
| 1990s | 3.58 | 3.58 | 3.58 | 1 |
| 2010s | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 1 |
| 2020s | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi?
- Mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years in Malawi was 6.4 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 6.5 in 2015.
- What is the lowest mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.35 in 1977.
- How does Malawi rank for mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years?
- Malawi ranks 110th out of 121 countries with data for 2020.
- Is mean years of schooling (isced 1 or higher), population 25+ years rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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 — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release