School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland
Ireland: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 18.81 years in 2022. ▲ Rising
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland, 2001–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland is 18.81 years, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland peaked at 19.86 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 16.83 years, in 2001.
That places Ireland 8th out of 186 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 16.83 years | — |
| 2002 | 17.02 years | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 17.23 years | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 17.59 years | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 17.56 years | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 17.45 years | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 17.49 years | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 17.26 years | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 17.49 years | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 17.93 years | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 18.11 years | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 18.13 years | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 18.37 years | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 18.91 years | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 19 years | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 18.86 years | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 19.86 years | +5.3% |
| 2019 | 18.99 years | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 18.81 years | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 19.06 years | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 18.81 years | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.32 years | 16.83 years | 17.59 years | 9 |
| 2010s | 18.69 years | 17.93 years | 19.86 years | 9 |
| 2020s | 18.9 years | 18.81 years | 19.06 years | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.9368 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 35,618 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,544 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 134,541 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1981 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 112,690 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -2.26 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Ireland was 18.81 years in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 19.86 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.83 years in 2001.
- How does Ireland rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- Ireland ranks 8th out of 186 countries with data for 2022.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release