Average years of schooling in New Zealand
New Zealand: Average years of schooling was 10.81 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
10.81 years
World rank
36th
of 111 countries
All-time high
12.03 years
in 1975
All-time low
3.47 years
in 1875
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Average years of schooling in New Zealand, 1870–2020
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 10.81 years for average years of schooling in 2020.
The figure is down 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in New Zealand peaked at 12.03 years in 1975 and was at its lowest, 3.47 years, in 1875.
That places New Zealand 36th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Average years of schooling in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 3.58 years | — |
| 1875 | 3.47 years | -3.1% |
| 1880 | 3.62 years | +4.3% |
| 1885 | 3.86 years | +6.6% |
| 1890 | 4.12 years | +6.7% |
| 1895 | 4.35 years | +5.6% |
| 1900 | 4.5 years | +3.4% |
| 1905 | 4.68 years | +4.0% |
| 1910 | 5.04 years | +7.7% |
| 1915 | 5.48 years | +8.7% |
| 1920 | 5.87 years | +7.1% |
| 1925 | 6.31 years | +7.5% |
| 1930 | 6.84 years | +8.4% |
| 1935 | 7.57 years | +10.7% |
| 1940 | 7.95 years | +5.0% |
| 1945 | 8.31 years | +4.5% |
| 1950 | 9.34 years | +12.4% |
| 1955 | 9.67 years | +3.5% |
| 1960 | 10.12 years | +4.7% |
| 1965 | 10.18 years | +0.6% |
| 1970 | 11.17 years | +9.7% |
| 1975 | 12.03 years | +7.7% |
| 1980 | 11.81 years | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 11.81 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 11.69 years | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 11.81 years | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 11.98 years | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 12 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 11.12 years | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 10.91 years | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 10.81 years | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 3.53 years | 3.47 years | 3.58 years | 2 |
| 1880s | 3.74 years | 3.62 years | 3.86 years | 2 |
| 1890s | 4.23 years | 4.12 years | 4.35 years | 2 |
| 1900s | 4.59 years | 4.5 years | 4.68 years | 2 |
| 1910s | 5.26 years | 5.04 years | 5.48 years | 2 |
| 1920s | 6.09 years | 5.87 years | 6.31 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 7.21 years | 6.84 years | 7.57 years | 2 |
| 1940s | 8.13 years | 7.95 years | 8.31 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 9.5 years | 9.34 years | 9.67 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 10.15 years | 10.12 years | 10.18 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 11.6 years | 11.17 years | 12.03 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 11.81 years | 11.81 years | 11.81 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 11.75 years | 11.69 years | 11.81 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.99 years | 11.98 years | 12 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 11.02 years | 10.91 years | 11.12 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 10.81 years | 10.81 years | 10.81 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More education data for New Zealand
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 186,396 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.9363 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0352 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 196,622 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0372 units per person (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 4.1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 26,597 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 0.0527 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in New Zealand?
- Average years of schooling in New Zealand was 10.81 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 12.03 years in 1975.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.47 years in 1875.
- How does New Zealand rank for average years of schooling?
- New Zealand ranks 36th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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
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About this data
Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.