Average years of schooling in Cuba
Cuba: Average years of schooling was 11.61 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Cuba, 1870–2020
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2020, average years of schooling in Cuba stood at 11.61 years. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Cuba peaked at 11.61 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.12 years, in 1870.
Cuba ranks 26th of 111 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Cuba, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.12 years | — |
| 1875 | 0.15 years | +25.0% |
| 1880 | 0.2 years | +33.3% |
| 1885 | 0.25 years | +25.0% |
| 1890 | 0.33 years | +32.0% |
| 1895 | 0.44 years | +33.3% |
| 1900 | 0.82 years | +86.4% |
| 1905 | 1.32 years | +61.0% |
| 1910 | 1.58 years | +19.7% |
| 1915 | 2.03 years | +28.5% |
| 1920 | 2.28 years | +12.3% |
| 1925 | 2.61 years | +14.5% |
| 1930 | 2.96 years | +13.4% |
| 1935 | 3.16 years | +6.8% |
| 1940 | 3.31 years | +4.7% |
| 1945 | 3.42 years | +3.3% |
| 1950 | 3.58 years | +4.7% |
| 1955 | 3.66 years | +2.2% |
| 1960 | 4.08 years | +11.5% |
| 1965 | 4.55 years | +11.5% |
| 1970 | 5.41 years | +18.9% |
| 1975 | 6.48 years | +19.8% |
| 1980 | 7.82 years | +20.7% |
| 1985 | 8.64 years | +10.5% |
| 1990 | 9.21 years | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 9.58 years | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 9.88 years | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 10.36 years | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 11.06 years | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 11.12 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 11.61 years | +4.4% |
Cuba compared with similar countries
- Cuba's 11.61 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.83 years, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- Cuba's 11.61 years is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.12 years, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Average years of schooling in Cuba 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | +86.4% | 0.44 years | 0.82 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.135 years | 0.12 years | 0.15 years | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.225 years | 0.2 years | 0.25 years | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.385 years | 0.33 years | 0.44 years | 2 |
| 1900s | 1.07 years | 0.82 years | 1.32 years | 2 |
| 1910s | 1.8 years | 1.58 years | 2.03 years | 2 |
| 1920s | 2.44 years | 2.28 years | 2.61 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 3.06 years | 2.96 years | 3.16 years | 2 |
| 1940s | 3.37 years | 3.31 years | 3.42 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 3.62 years | 3.58 years | 3.66 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 4.31 years | 4.08 years | 4.55 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 5.95 years | 5.41 years | 6.48 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 8.23 years | 7.82 years | 8.64 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 9.39 years | 9.21 years | 9.58 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 10.12 years | 9.88 years | 10.36 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 11.09 years | 11.06 years | 11.12 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 11.61 years | 11.61 years | 11.61 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
More education data for Cuba
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 78,576 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,635 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 171,121 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 162,406 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 662,491 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 698,052 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -3.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2020)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0636 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Cuba?
- Average years of schooling in Cuba was 11.61 years in 2020, according to Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling recorded in Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 11.61 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.12 years in 1870.
- How does Cuba rank for average years of schooling?
- Cuba ranks 26th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba data come from?
- The figures come from Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.