School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years) (both) in South Korea
South Korea: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years) (both) was 16.49 years in 2018. ▲ Rising
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in South Korea, 1971–2018
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in South Korea is 16.49 years, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in South Korea peaked at 16.87 years in 2011 and was at its lowest, 9.02 years, in 1971.
South Korea ranks 27th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years) (both) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 9.02 years | — |
| 1972 | 9.33 years | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 9.51 years | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 9.69 years | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 9.87 years | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 10.19 years | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 10.36 years | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 10.61 years | +2.3% |
| 1979 | 10.98 years | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 11.47 years | +4.4% |
| 1981 | 11.94 years | +4.1% |
| 1982 | 12.18 years | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 12.48 years | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 12.83 years | +2.8% |
| 1985 | 13.05 years | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 13.24 years | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 13.45 years | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 13.37 years | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 13.54 years | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 13.58 years | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 13.71 years | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 13.72 years | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 13.94 years | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 14.24 years | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 14.5 years | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 14.88 years | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 15.5 years | +4.1% |
| 1998 | 15.21 years | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 15.43 years | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 15.63 years | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 15.68 years | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 15.73 years | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 15.91 years | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 16.1 years | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 16.3 years | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 16.44 years | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 16.66 years | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 16.74 years | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 16.78 years | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 16.85 years | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 16.87 years | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 16.74 years | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 16.65 years | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 16.65 years | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.6 years | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 16.51 years | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 16.48 years | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 16.49 years | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 16.49 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.13 years, 1.0× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 16.49 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.38 years, 1.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.95 years | 9.02 years | 10.98 years | 9 |
| 1980s | 12.76 years | 11.47 years | 13.54 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.47 years | 13.58 years | 15.5 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.2 years | 15.63 years | 16.78 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.65 years | 16.48 years | 16.87 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 24 Malta 16.58 years compare
- 25 Lithuania 16.57 years compare
- 26 Costa Rica 16.55 years compare
- 28 Macao 16.44 years compare
- 29 Puerto Rico 16.42 years compare
- 30 Switzerland 16.41 years compare
More education data for South Korea
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.79 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.94 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 233,046 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 76 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 434,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 412,067 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.66 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in South Korea?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in South Korea was 16.49 years in 2018, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 16.87 years in 2011.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.02 years in 1971.
- How does South Korea rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- South Korea ranks 27th out of 183 countries with data for 2018.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 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
Expected years of schooling is the number of years a child of school entrance age is expected to spend at school, or university, including years spent on repetition. It is the sum of the age-specific enrolment ratios for primary, secondary, post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary education.