Share of children who have completed primary school in United States
United States: Share of children who have completed primary school was 100.0% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Share of children who have completed primary school in United States, 1981–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of children who have completed primary school in United States is 100.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of children who have completed primary school in United States peaked at 100.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 98.1%, in 1981.
United States ranks 6th of 165 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of children who have completed primary school in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 98.1% | — |
| 1982 | 98.2% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 98.2% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 98.3% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 98.4% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 98.5% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 98.5% | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 98.6% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 98.7% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 99.0% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 99.0% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 99.1% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 99.2% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 99.2% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 99.4% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 99.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.5% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 99.5% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 99.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 99.6% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 99.6% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 99.7% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.7% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 99.7% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 99.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 99.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 100.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 99.6%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 98.3% | 98.1% | 98.5% | 9 |
| 1990s | 98.9% | 98.5% | 99.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 99.5% | 99.2% | 99.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 99.8% | 99.7% | 99.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.9% | 99.9% | 100.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More education data for United States
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of children who have completed primary school in United States?
- Share of children who have completed primary school in United States was 100.0% in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of children who have completed primary school recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of children who have completed primary school recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.1% in 1981.
- How does United States rank for share of children who have completed primary school?
- United States ranks 6th out of 165 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of children who have completed primary school rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children who have completed primary school. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who are three to five years older than the official age for the last grade of primary education who have successfully completed it. This broader age band is used to include children who started school late or had to resit particular years.