Share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States
United States: Share of children in primary school age who are in school was 96.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
96.0%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
108th
of 209 countries
All-time high
100.0%
in 1870
All-time low
41.4%
in 1820
Years of data
52
1820–2022
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States, 1820–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States is 96.0%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States peaked at 100.0% in 1870 and was at its lowest, 41.4%, in 1820.
That places United States 108th out of 209 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 52 years of available data.
Share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 41.4% | — |
| 1825 | 42.9% | +3.6% |
| 1830 | 53.4% | +24.3% |
| 1835 | 55.4% | +3.8% |
| 1840 | 59.7% | +7.9% |
| 1845 | 70.0% | +17.2% |
| 1850 | 80.1% | +14.5% |
| 1855 | 88.0% | +9.9% |
| 1860 | 97.5% | +10.7% |
| 1865 | 98.1% | +0.6% |
| 1870 | 100.0% | +2.0% |
| 1875 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 95.9% | -4.1% |
| 1970 | 95.9% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 94.0% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 95.7% | +1.8% |
| 1987 | 96.1% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 97.0% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 96.7% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 95.9% | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 95.8% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 97.2% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 95.8% | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 98.1% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 99.4% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 97.1% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 98.0% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 99.6% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 99.6% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 99.4% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 99.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 98.0% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 95.9% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 96.0% | +0.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 96.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 98% of the median. (74 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 42.2% | 41.4% | 42.9% | 2 |
| 1830s | 54.4% | 53.4% | 55.4% | 2 |
| 1840s | 64.9% | 59.7% | 70.0% | 2 |
| 1850s | 84.1% | 80.1% | 88.0% | 2 |
| 1860s | 97.8% | 97.5% | 98.1% | 2 |
| 1870s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1880s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1890s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1900s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1910s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1930s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1940s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1950s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1960s | 98.0% | 95.9% | 100.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 95.9% | 95.9% | 95.9% | 1 |
| 1980s | 95.3% | 94.0% | 96.1% | 3 |
| 1990s | 96.7% | 95.8% | 98.1% | 7 |
| 2000s | 99.4% | 99.4% | 99.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 98.7% | 97.1% | 99.6% | 7 |
| 2020s | 96.6% | 95.9% | 98.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 105 Eswatini 96.2% compare
- 106 Dominica 96.0% compare
- 107 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 96.0% compare
- 109 Papua New Guinea 96.0% compare
- 110 French Polynesia 95.9% compare
- 111 Uganda 95.9% compare
More education data for United States
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States?
- Share of children in primary school age who are in school in United States was 96.0% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 1870.
- What is the lowest share of children in primary school age who are in school recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.4% in 1820.
- How does United States rank for share of children in primary school age who are in school?
- United States ranks 108th out of 209 countries with data for 2022.
- Is share of children in primary school age who are in school rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children in primary school age who are in school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.