School enrollment, primary (% gross) in United States
United States: School enrollment, primary (% gross) was 97.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
School enrollment, primary in United States, 1971–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % gross.
Analysis
United States recorded 97.0% for school enrollment, primary in 2022.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary in United States peaked at 104.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 88.7%, in 1971.
That places United States 137th out of 205 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
School enrollment, primary (% gross) in United States, year by year
| Year | % gross | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 88.7% | — |
| 1972 | 88.8% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 91.8% | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 91.8% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 92.0% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 92.3% | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 91.9% | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 91.7% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 91.5% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 100.4% | +9.8% |
| 1981 | 100.5% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 103.4% | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 103.8% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 103.1% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 102.5% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 102.4% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 102.1% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 104.1% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 103.1% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 102.8% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 102.6% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 104.0% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 103.2% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 102.3% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 102.1% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 101.9% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 99.5% | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 99.7% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 100.3% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 101.4% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 101.8% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 101.3% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 101.0% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 100.3% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 98.3% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 97.0% | -1.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 97.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 99.8%, 97% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 91.2% | 88.7% | 92.3% | 9 |
| 1980s | 102.3% | 100.4% | 103.8% | 8 |
| 1990s | 103.0% | 102.1% | 104.1% | 8 |
| 2000s | 101.9% | 101.9% | 101.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 100.7% | 99.5% | 101.8% | 7 |
| 2020s | 98.5% | 97.0% | 100.3% | 3 |
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 school enrollment, primary in United States?
- School enrollment, primary in United States was 97.0% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school enrollment, primary recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 104.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest school enrollment, primary recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 88.7% in 1971.
- How does United States rank for school enrollment, primary?
- United States ranks 137th out of 205 countries with data for 2022.
- Is school enrollment, primary rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of School enrollment, primary (% gross). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.