Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China
China: Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women was 80.5% in 2017. ▲ Rising
Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China, 1970–2017
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
In 2017, modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China stood at 80.5%.
That represents a change of down 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China peaked at 86.2% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 13.5%, in 1970.
China ranks 2nd of 113 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 13.5% | — |
| 1971 | 17.3% | +28.1% |
| 1972 | 22.5% | +30.3% |
| 1973 | 28.4% | +26.4% |
| 1974 | 34.4% | +21.1% |
| 1975 | 40.6% | +18.0% |
| 1976 | 45.2% | +11.3% |
| 1977 | 48.4% | +7.1% |
| 1978 | 50.2% | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 53.7% | +6.8% |
| 1980 | 54.6% | +1.7% |
| 1981 | 54.7% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 58.2% | +6.4% |
| 1983 | 64.2% | +10.4% |
| 1984 | 66.3% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 66.2% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 65.7% | -0.6% |
| 1987 | 69.3% | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 73.2% | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 83.3% | +13.7% |
| 2001 | 86.2% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 84.0% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 80.5% | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35.4% | 13.5% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.6% | 54.6% | 73.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 83.3% | 83.3% | 83.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 85.1% | 84.0% | 86.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 80.5% | 80.5% | 80.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 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 108.57 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China?
- Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women in China was 80.5% in 2017, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 86.2% in 2001.
- What is the lowest modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.5% in 1970.
- How does China rank for modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women?
- China ranks 2nd out of 113 countries with data for 2017.
- Is modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Modern contraception usage vs. average years of schooling for women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of married or co-habiting women who use at least one modern method of contraception vs. the average years of formal education that women between 15-64 years have attended.