Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education was 9 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
9
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
106th
of 214 countries
All-time high
9
in 2004
All-time low
9
in 2004
Years of data
22
2004–2025
Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia, 2004–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2025, number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia stood at 9. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia peaked at 9 in 2004 and was at its lowest, 9, in 2004.
That places Saudi Arabia 106th out of 214 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 9 | — |
| 2005 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 9 | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 9 is below the median for high income countries, which is 10, 90% of the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 9 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10, 90% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| 2010s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 106 Afghanistan 9 compare
- 106 Angola 9 compare
- 106 Albania 9 compare
- 106 Azerbaijan 9 compare
- 106 Bulgaria 9 compare
- 106 Bahrain 9 compare
- 106 Bosnia and Herzegovina 9 compare
- 106 Brunei Darussalam 9 compare
- 106 China 9 compare
- 106 Cuba 9 compare
- 106 Cyprus 9 compare
- 106 Czechia 9 compare
- 106 Estonia 9 compare
- 106 Georgia 9 compare
- 106 Ghana 9 compare
- 106 Gambia 9 compare
- 106 Guinea-Bissau 9 compare
- 106 Greece 9 compare
- 106 Guatemala 9 compare
- 106 Hong Kong, China 9 compare
- 106 Indonesia 9 compare
- 106 Iran, Islamic Republic of 9 compare
- 106 Japan 9 compare
- 106 Kazakhstan 9 compare
- 106 Kyrgyzstan 9 compare
- 106 Kiribati 9 compare
- 106 Korea 9 compare
- 106 Kuwait 9 compare
- 106 Lao People's Democratic Republic 9 compare
- 106 Libya 9 compare
- 106 Latvia 9 compare
- 106 Macau, China 9 compare
- 106 Morocco 9 compare
- 106 Republic of Moldova 9 compare
- 106 Mali 9 compare
- 106 Montenegro 9 compare
- 106 Mauritania 9 compare
- 106 Nigeria 9 compare
- 106 Panama 9 compare
- 106 Sierra Leone 9 compare
- 106 El Salvador 9 compare
- 106 Slovenia 9 compare
- 106 Sweden 9 compare
- 106 Syrian Arab Republic 9 compare
- 106 Thailand 9 compare
- 106 Tajikistan 9 compare
- 106 Timor-Leste 9 compare
- 106 Tunisia 9 compare
- 106 Tuvalu 9 compare
- 106 Viet Nam 9 compare
- 106 Yemen 9 compare
- 106 South Africa 9 compare
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia?
- Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia was 9 in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 9 in 2004.
- What is the lowest number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9 in 2004.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 106th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Number of years of compulsory primary and secondary education guaranteed in legal frameworks. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release