School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries
SDG: Least Developed Countries: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes was 9.55 years in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
9.55 years
Change on year
up 1.0%
Rank
169th
of 221 groups
All-time high
9.55 years
in 2019
All-time low
3.79 years
in 1971
Years of data
50
1970–2019
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
SDG: Least Developed Countries recorded 9.55 years for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in 2019. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries peaked at 9.55 years in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3.79 years, in 1971.
That places SDG: Least Developed Countries 169th out of 221 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.82 years | — |
| 1971 | 3.79 years | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 3.99 years | +5.3% |
| 1973 | 4.15 years | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 4.21 years | +1.3% |
| 1975 | 4.38 years | +4.1% |
| 1976 | 4.51 years | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 4.59 years | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 4.71 years | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 4.86 years | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 5.01 years | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 5.04 years | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 5.12 years | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 5.18 years | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 5.17 years | -0.0% |
| 1985 | 5.08 years | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 5.1 years | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 5.08 years | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 5.23 years | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 5.19 years | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 5.09 years | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 5.25 years | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 5.27 years | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 5.35 years | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 5.47 years | +2.3% |
| 1995 | 5.64 years | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 5.74 years | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 5.94 years | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 6.09 years | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 6.17 years | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 6.37 years | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 6.58 years | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 6.94 years | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 7.2 years | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 7.4 years | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 7.61 years | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 7.86 years | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 8.05 years | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 8.31 years | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 8.5 years | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 8.63 years | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 8.85 years | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 8.97 years | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 9.11 years | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 9.19 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 9.16 years | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 9.28 years | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 9.31 years | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 9.45 years | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 9.55 years | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.3 years | 3.79 years | 4.86 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.12 years | 5.01 years | 5.23 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.6 years | 5.09 years | 6.17 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.48 years | 6.37 years | 8.5 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.15 years | 8.63 years | 9.55 years | 10 |
Countries ranked near SDG: Least Developed Countries
- 166 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 8.84 years compare
- 167 Tanzania, United Republic of 8.78 years compare
- 168 Mauritania 8.69 years compare
- 169 Syria 8.3 years compare
- 170 Burundi 8.27 years compare
- 171 Pakistan 8.17 years compare
- 172 Nigeria 8.15 years compare
More education data for SDG: Least Developed Countries
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -0.1094 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 12.39 million (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 0.3263 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual 1.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 22.98 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.12 million (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 39.55 million (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate 0.7494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 5.49 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in SDG: Least Developed Countries was 9.55 years in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The highest recorded value was 9.55 years in 2019.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.79 years in 1971.
- How does SDG: Least Developed Countries rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- SDG: Least Developed Countries ranks 169th out of 221 groups with data for 2019.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in SDG: Least Developed Countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this SDG: Least Developed Countries 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release