School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years) (School both) in UNICEF: World
UNICEF: World: School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years) (School both) was 5.75 years in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
5.75 years
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
118th
of 221 groups
All-time high
5.78 years
in 2013
All-time low
4.82 years
in 1972
Years of data
55
1970–2024
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: World, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2024, school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: World stood at 5.75 years.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: World peaked at 5.78 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 4.82 years, in 1972.
That places UNICEF: World 118th out of 221 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years) (School both) in UNICEF: World, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.98 years | — |
| 1971 | 4.87 years | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 4.82 years | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 4.84 years | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 4.84 years | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 4.94 years | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 5.03 years | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 5.02 years | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 4.99 years | -0.5% |
| 1979 | 5.01 years | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 5.02 years | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 5.06 years | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 5.09 years | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 5.12 years | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 5.15 years | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 5.2 years | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 5.23 years | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 5.2 years | -0.5% |
| 1988 | 5.22 years | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 5.17 years | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 5.12 years | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 5.11 years | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 5.08 years | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 5.07 years | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 5.06 years | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 5.06 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 5.06 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 5.07 years | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 5.07 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 5.12 years | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 5.15 years | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 5.16 years | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 5.23 years | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 5.36 years | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 5.44 years | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 5.52 years | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 5.56 years | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 5.59 years | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 5.6 years | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 5.6 years | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 5.6 years | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 5.61 years | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 5.77 years | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 5.78 years | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 5.7 years | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 5.67 years | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 5.74 years | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 5.72 years | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 5.58 years | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 5.58 years | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 5.6 years | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 5.59 years | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 5.65 years | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 5.68 years | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 5.75 years | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.93 years | 4.82 years | 5.03 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.15 years | 5.02 years | 5.23 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.08 years | 5.06 years | 5.12 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.42 years | 5.15 years | 5.6 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.68 years | 5.58 years | 5.78 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.66 years | 5.59 years | 5.75 years | 5 |
Countries ranked near UNICEF: World
More education data for UNICEF: World
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -0.3082 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.5772 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 34.04 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 314.34 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.7455 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 336.69 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.4208 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 206.38 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 129.28 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: World?
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes in UNICEF: World was 5.75 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The highest recorded value was 5.78 years in 2013.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary, both sexes recorded in UNICEF: World?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.82 years in 1972.
- How does UNICEF: World rank for school life expectancy, primary, both sexes?
- UNICEF: World ranks 118th out of 221 groups with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, primary, both sexes rising or falling in UNICEF: World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this UNICEF: World data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, primary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release