School-age population (primary level) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: School-age population (primary level) was 3.32 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3.32 million
Change on year
up 1.0%
World rank
12th
of 72 countries
All-time high
3.32 million
in 2025
All-time low
575,250
in 1970
Years of data
55
1970–2025
School-age population in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2025
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school-age population in Saudi Arabia is 3.32 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 17.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school-age population in Saudi Arabia peaked at 3.32 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 575,250, in 1970.
That places Saudi Arabia 12th out of 72 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School-age population (primary level) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 575,250 | — |
| 1971 | 601,200 | +4.5% |
| 1972 | 628,203 | +4.5% |
| 1973 | 656,609 | +4.5% |
| 1974 | 686,657 | +4.6% |
| 1975 | 718,187 | +4.6% |
| 1976 | 751,320 | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 786,868 | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 825,554 | +4.9% |
| 1979 | 868,333 | +5.2% |
| 1980 | 915,078 | +5.4% |
| 1981 | 966,689 | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 1.02 million | +5.9% |
| 1983 | 1.09 million | +6.1% |
| 1984 | 1.15 million | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 1.23 million | +6.4% |
| 1986 | 1.31 million | +6.4% |
| 1987 | 1.39 million | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 1.48 million | +6.3% |
| 1989 | 1.57 million | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 1.66 million | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 1.76 million | +5.8% |
| 1992 | 1.85 million | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 1.95 million | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 2.03 million | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 2.12 million | +4.0% |
| 1996 | 2.19 million | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 2.25 million | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 2.31 million | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 2.36 million | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 2.40 million | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 2.53 million | +5.4% |
| 2002 | 2.62 million | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 2.67 million | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 2.69 million | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 2.68 million | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 2.66 million | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 2.63 million | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 2.60 million | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 2.59 million | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 2.59 million | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 2.60 million | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 2.63 million | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 2.68 million | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 2.75 million | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 2.83 million | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 2.94 million | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 3.01 million | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 3.05 million | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 3.06 million | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 3.16 million | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 3.18 million | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 3.22 million | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 3.29 million | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 3.32 million | +1.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 3.32 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 380,422, 8.7× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 3.32 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.15 million, 2.9× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 709,818 | 575,250 | 868,333 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.21 million | 915,078 | 1.57 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.05 million | 1.66 million | 2.36 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.61 million | 2.40 million | 2.69 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.81 million | 2.59 million | 3.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.24 million | 3.16 million | 3.32 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.72 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.47 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school-age population in Saudi Arabia?
- School-age population in Saudi Arabia was 3.32 million in 2025, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest school-age population recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.32 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest school-age population recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 575,250 in 1970.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for school-age population?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 12th out of 72 countries with data for 2025.
- Is school-age population rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of School-age population (primary level). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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