Productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Productivity vs. educational attainment was 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
17th
of 130 countries
All-time high
70.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour
in 2020
All-time low
12.39 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom, 1950–2023
Source: Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per hour.
Analysis
In 2023, productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom stood at 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom peaked at 70.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.39 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour, in 1950.
United Kingdom ranks 17th of 130 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.39 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | — |
| 1951 | 12.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.3% |
| 1952 | 12.7 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.2% |
| 1953 | 13.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.4% |
| 1954 | 13.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 13.94 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.0% |
| 1956 | 14.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 14.61 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 15.05 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.0% |
| 1959 | 15.82 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +5.1% |
| 1960 | 16.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.4% |
| 1961 | 16.86 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.1% |
| 1962 | 17.31 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 18.02 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.1% |
| 1964 | 18.82 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.5% |
| 1965 | 19.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 20.24 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.6% |
| 1967 | 21.1 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.2% |
| 1968 | 22.15 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +5.0% |
| 1969 | 22.69 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 23.89 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +5.3% |
| 1971 | 25.19 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +5.4% |
| 1972 | 25.65 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 26.85 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.7% |
| 1974 | 26.15 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 26.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 27.83 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +6.0% |
| 1977 | 28.98 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 30.77 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +6.2% |
| 1979 | 32.26 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 33.48 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.8% |
| 1981 | 34.4 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 35.16 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 36.32 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 35.81 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 35.89 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 36.84 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 38.21 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 38.76 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 38.85 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 39.93 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 40.97 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 42.58 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 44.85 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 45.9 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 50.4 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +9.8% |
| 1996 | 52.78 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 55.19 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 56.39 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 58.36 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 62.02 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 63.44 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 63.06 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 62.76 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 63.71 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 66.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 66.27 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 65.11 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 65.45 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 63.14 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 62.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 62.84 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 63.16 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 63.77 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 62.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 63.73 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 63.48 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 65.88 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 64.6 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 66.18 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 70.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 68.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 68.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | -0.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour is above the median for high income countries, which is 51.52 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour, 1.3× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 46.15 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour, 1.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13.8 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 12.39 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 15.82 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.29 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 16.35 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 22.69 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 23.89 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 32.26 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 1980s | 36.37 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 33.48 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 38.85 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 1990s | 48.74 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 39.93 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 58.36 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.12 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 62.02 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 66.27 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.83 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 62.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 66.18 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.77 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 70.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 14 Iceland 75.65 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 15 Finland 69.63 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 16 Qatar 69.42 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 18 Italy 67.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 19 Singapore 65.92 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
- 20 Spain 64 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour compare
More education data for United Kingdom
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 388,714 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 830,495 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 790,556 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom?
- Productivity vs. educational attainment in United Kingdom was 68.03 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2023, according to Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest productivity vs. educational attainment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 70.25 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 2020.
- What is the lowest productivity vs. educational attainment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.39 international-$ in 2021 prices per hour in 1950.
- How does United Kingdom rank for productivity vs. educational attainment?
- United Kingdom ranks 17th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
- Is productivity vs. educational attainment rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Productivity vs. educational attainment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Productivity is calculated as GDP divided by the total number of hours worked in the economy. This data is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.