Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China

China: Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest was 15.8% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
15.8%
World rank
31st
of 42 countries
All-time high
45.8%
in 2010
All-time low
15.8%
in 2020
Years of data
5
2010–2020

Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China, 2010–2020

203040502010201520202010: 45.8 %2012: 25 %2014: 24.5 %2016: 25.4 %2020: 15.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China is 15.8%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 65.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China peaked at 45.8% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 15.8%, in 2020.

China ranks 31st of 42 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China, year by year

Annual values for Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%) in China, 2010 to 2020.
Year % Change
2010 45.8%
2012 25.0% -45.5%
2014 24.5% -1.9%
2016 25.4% +4.0%
2020 15.8% -38.0%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 15.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 17.1%, 93% of the median. (12 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 30.2% 24.5% 45.8% 4
2020s 15.8% 15.8% 15.8% 1

Countries ranked near China

  1. 28 Panama 18.4% compare
  2. 29 Türkiye 17.1% compare
  3. 30 Paraguay 17.0% compare
  4. 32 Colombia 15.6% compare
  5. 33 Kyrgyzstan 15.2% compare
  6. 34 Uruguay 14.9% compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More education data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China?
Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China was 15.8% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 45.8% in 2010.
What is the lowest out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 15.8% in 2020.
How does China rank for out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest?
China ranks 31st out of 42 countries with data for 2020.
Is out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 65.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest in China. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/out-of-school-rate-for-youth-of-upper-secondary-school-age-poorest-quintile-both-sexes-2/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Out-of-school rate for youth of upper secondary school age, poorest quintile, both sexes (household survey data) (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
42 places, 431 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release