Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand
New Zealand: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary was 14.92 in 2017. ▼ Falling
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand, 1971–2017
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 14.92 for pupil-teacher ratio, primary in 2017.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand peaked at 20.74 in 1982 and was at its lowest, 14.37, in 2014.
New Zealand ranks 136th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 39 years of available data.
Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 20.71 | — |
| 1972 | 20.22 | -2.4% |
| 1973 | 19.74 | -2.4% |
| 1974 | 19.37 | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 18.45 | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 18.52 | +0.4% |
| 1978 | 18.5 | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 19.45 | +5.1% |
| 1981 | 16.52 | -15.1% |
| 1982 | 20.74 | +25.6% |
| 1984 | 20.2 | -2.6% |
| 1987 | 19.63 | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 19.49 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 19.36 | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 17.97 | -7.2% |
| 1991 | 16.67 | -7.2% |
| 1992 | 16.2 | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 17.06 | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 19.18 | +12.5% |
| 1997 | 18.32 | -4.5% |
| 1998 | 19.43 | +6.1% |
| 1999 | 18.27 | -6.0% |
| 2000 | 18.45 | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 17.46 | -5.4% |
| 2002 | 17.41 | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 17.77 | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 16.37 | -7.9% |
| 2005 | 16.27 | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 15.89 | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 15.68 | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 15.32 | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 14.61 | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 14.49 | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 14.55 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 14.59 | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 14.37 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 14.5 | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 14.62 | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 14.92 | +2.0% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +25.6% | 16.52 | 20.74 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.37 | 18.45 | 20.71 | 8 |
| 1980s | 19.33 | 16.52 | 20.74 | 6 |
| 1990s | 17.89 | 16.2 | 19.43 | 8 |
| 2000s | 16.52 | 14.61 | 18.45 | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.58 | 14.37 | 14.92 | 7 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 133 Bulgaria 15.21 compare
- 134 United Kingdom 15.13 compare
- 135 American Samoa 15.05 compare
- 137 North Macedonia 14.91 compare
- 138 Aruba 14.79 compare
- 139 Saint Lucia 14.74 compare
More education data for New Zealand
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 97.48 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 97.38 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36,426 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,020 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 56,552 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 53,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 383,018 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand?
- Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in New Zealand was 14.92 in 2017, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest pupil-teacher ratio, primary recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 20.74 in 1982.
- What is the lowest pupil-teacher ratio, primary recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.37 in 2014.
- How does New Zealand rank for pupil-teacher ratio, primary?
- New Zealand ranks 136th out of 199 countries with data for 2017.
- Is pupil-teacher ratio, primary rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand 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, primary. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.