Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members
OECD members: Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary was 15.17 in 2018. ▼ Falling
Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members, 1970–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members is 15.17, measured in 2018.
The figure is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members peaked at 23.35 in 1975 and was at its lowest, 14.96, in 2014.
OECD members ranks 33rd of 43 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 22.68 | — |
| 1971 | 22.7 | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 22.51 | -0.8% |
| 1973 | 22.84 | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 23.09 | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 23.35 | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 23.18 | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 22.89 | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 22.75 | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 22.41 | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 22.07 | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 21.81 | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 21.57 | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 21.33 | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 21.13 | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 21.02 | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 21 | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 20.85 | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 20.63 | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 20.35 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 20.08 | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 19.83 | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 19.94 | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 20.02 | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 19.91 | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 19.91 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 20.14 | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 19.81 | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 20.56 | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 19.75 | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 19.35 | -2.0% |
| 2001 | 18.9 | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 18.1 | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 17.61 | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 17.49 | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 17.8 | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 17.44 | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 17.31 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 17.28 | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 16.84 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 16.14 | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 15.67 | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 15.19 | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 15.06 | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 14.96 | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 15.05 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 15.27 | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 15.3 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 15.17 | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.84 | 22.41 | 23.35 | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.17 | 20.35 | 22.07 | 10 |
| 1990s | 20 | 19.75 | 20.56 | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.81 | 16.84 | 19.35 | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.31 | 14.96 | 16.14 | 9 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More education data for OECD members
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 116.41 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2049 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0654 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 16.4% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 6.28 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members?
- Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary in OECD members was 15.17 in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 23.35 in 1975.
- What is the lowest pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.96 in 2014.
- How does OECD members rank for pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary?
- OECD members ranks 33rd out of 43 groups with data for 2018.
- Is pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this OECD members data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Pupil-teacher ratio, preprimary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Preprimary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in preprimary school.