School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes (years) (expectancy) in China
China: School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes (years) (expectancy) was 2.93 years in 2024. ◆ Volatile
School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes in China, 1974–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes in China is 2.93 years, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes in China peaked at 2.93 years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0907 years, in 1974.
China ranks 38th of 213 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes (years) (expectancy) in China, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | 0.0907 years | — |
| 1975 | 0.0955 years | +5.2% |
| 1976 | 0.2288 years | +139.6% |
| 1977 | 0.5265 years | +130.1% |
| 1978 | 0.3542 years | -32.7% |
| 1979 | 0.3289 years | -7.1% |
| 1980 | 0.3896 years | +18.5% |
| 1981 | 0.5482 years | +40.7% |
| 1982 | 0.532 years | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 0.5712 years | +7.4% |
| 1984 | 0.5853 years | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 0.6458 years | +10.3% |
| 1986 | 0.7025 years | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 0.7675 years | +9.2% |
| 1988 | 0.839 years | +9.3% |
| 1989 | 0.8444 years | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 0.8254 years | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 0.829 years | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 0.8969 years | +8.2% |
| 1993 | 0.9568 years | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 0.9865 years | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 1.06 years | +7.9% |
| 1996 | 1.16 years | +8.6% |
| 1997 | 1.22 years | +5.8% |
| 1998 | 1.31 years | +6.9% |
| 1999 | 1.29 years | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 1.29 years | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 1.28 years | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 1.19 years | -7.0% |
| 2003 | 1.23 years | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 1.34 years | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 1.42 years | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 1.48 years | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 1.55 years | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 1.64 years | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 1.8 years | +10.1% |
| 2012 | 2.03 years | +12.4% |
| 2013 | 2.13 years | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 2.22 years | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 2.3 years | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 2.36 years | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 2.42 years | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 2.48 years | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 2.59 years | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 2.62 years | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 2.7 years | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 2.8 years | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 2.88 years | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 2.93 years | +1.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.93 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.76 years, 1.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 2.93 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.98 years, 1.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes (years) (expectancy) in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | +139.6% | 0.0955 years | 0.2288 years |
| 1977 | +130.1% | 0.2288 years | 0.5265 years |
| 1978 | -32.7% | 0.5265 years | 0.3542 years |
| 1981 | +40.7% | 0.3896 years | 0.5482 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2708 years | 0.0907 years | 0.5265 years | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.6426 years | 0.3896 years | 0.8444 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.05 years | 0.8254 years | 1.31 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.35 years | 1.19 years | 1.55 years | 8 |
| 2010s | 2.2 years | 1.64 years | 2.59 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.79 years | 2.62 years | 2.93 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes in China?
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes in China was 2.93 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.93 years in 2024.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0907 years in 1974.
- How does China rank for school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes?
- China ranks 38th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release