Pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea
South Korea: Pupils per qualified teacher in primary education was 14.48 pupils per teacher in 2024. ▼ Falling
Pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea, 2000–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in pupils per teacher.
Analysis
The most recent figure for pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea is 14.48 pupils per teacher, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea peaked at 32.12 pupils per teacher in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.48 pupils per teacher, in 2024.
That places South Korea 85th out of 113 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea, year by year
| Year | pupils per teacher | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 32.12 pupils per teacher | — |
| 2001 | 32.02 pupils per teacher | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 31.26 pupils per teacher | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 30.1 pupils per teacher | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 29.02 pupils per teacher | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 27.93 pupils per teacher | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 26.62 pupils per teacher | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 25.59 pupils per teacher | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 24.07 pupils per teacher | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 22.38 pupils per teacher | -7.0% |
| 2010 | 20.92 pupils per teacher | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 19.05 pupils per teacher | -8.9% |
| 2012 | 17.88 pupils per teacher | -6.2% |
| 2013 | 16.85 pupils per teacher | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 16.5 pupils per teacher | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 16.55 pupils per teacher | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 16.31 pupils per teacher | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 16.29 pupils per teacher | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 16.4 pupils per teacher | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 16.53 pupils per teacher | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 16.24 pupils per teacher | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 16.05 pupils per teacher | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 15.78 pupils per teacher | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 15.22 pupils per teacher | -3.5% |
| 2024 | 14.48 pupils per teacher | -4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.11 pupils per teacher | 22.38 pupils per teacher | 32.12 pupils per teacher | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.33 pupils per teacher | 16.29 pupils per teacher | 20.92 pupils per teacher | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.55 pupils per teacher | 14.48 pupils per teacher | 16.24 pupils per teacher | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 173,133 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea?
- Pupils per qualified teacher in primary education in South Korea was 14.48 pupils per teacher in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest pupils per qualified teacher in primary education recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 32.12 pupils per teacher in 2000.
- What is the lowest pupils per qualified teacher in primary education recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.48 pupils per teacher in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for pupils per qualified teacher in primary education?
- South Korea ranks 85th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is pupils per qualified teacher in primary education rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Pupils per qualified teacher in primary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
A qualified teacher is one who has the minimum academic qualifications necessary to teach at a primary level of education in a given country.