School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in China
China: School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) was 3.82 years in 2024. ◆ Volatile
School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in China, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2024, school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in China stood at 3.82 years. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 77.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in China peaked at 3.82 years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0063 years, in 1970.
China ranks 37th of 196 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, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in China, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.0063 years | — |
| 1973 | 0.0102 years | +60.3% |
| 1974 | 0.0163 years | +59.9% |
| 1975 | 0.0225 years | +38.0% |
| 1976 | 0.0276 years | +22.9% |
| 1977 | 0.0312 years | +13.0% |
| 1978 | 0.0346 years | +10.9% |
| 1979 | 0.0505 years | +45.9% |
| 1980 | 0.0641 years | +27.0% |
| 1981 | 0.1022 years | +59.3% |
| 1984 | 0.0956 years | -6.5% |
| 1985 | 0.1099 years | +15.0% |
| 1986 | 0.1391 years | +26.7% |
| 1987 | 0.1528 years | +9.8% |
| 1988 | 0.1545 years | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 0.1509 years | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 0.1501 years | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 0.1442 years | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 0.1409 years | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 0.1467 years | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 0.1885 years | +28.5% |
| 1995 | 0.2329 years | +23.6% |
| 1996 | 0.2637 years | +13.2% |
| 1997 | 0.2898 years | +9.9% |
| 1998 | 0.3129 years | +8.0% |
| 1999 | 0.3305 years | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 0.3789 years | +14.6% |
| 2001 | 0.464 years | +22.5% |
| 2002 | 0.5903 years | +27.2% |
| 2003 | 0.7257 years | +22.9% |
| 2004 | 0.845 years | +16.4% |
| 2005 | 0.9328 years | +10.4% |
| 2006 | 1.04 years | +11.3% |
| 2007 | 1.09 years | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 1.11 years | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 1.16 years | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 1.26 years | +8.6% |
| 2011 | 1.34 years | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 1.47 years | +9.4% |
| 2013 | 1.63 years | +11.4% |
| 2014 | 2.15 years | +31.4% |
| 2015 | 2.32 years | +8.2% |
| 2016 | 2.44 years | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 2.53 years | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 2.65 years | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 2.82 years | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 3.05 years | +8.3% |
| 2021 | 3.3 years | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 3.54 years | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 3.72 years | +5.1% |
| 2024 | 3.82 years | +2.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3.82 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.5 years, 1.5× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 3.82 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.77 years, 1.4× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | +60.3% | 0.0063 years | 0.0102 years |
| 1974 | +59.9% | 0.0102 years | 0.0163 years |
| 1981 | +59.3% | 0.0641 years | 0.1022 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0249 years | 0.0063 years | 0.0505 years | 8 |
| 1980s | 0.1211 years | 0.0641 years | 0.1545 years | 8 |
| 1990s | 0.22 years | 0.1409 years | 0.3305 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8334 years | 0.3789 years | 1.16 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.06 years | 1.26 years | 2.82 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.48 years | 3.05 years | 3.82 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, tertiary, both sexes in China?
- School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in China was 3.82 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.82 years in 2024.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0063 years in 1970.
- How does China rank for school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes?
- China ranks 37th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 77.9%. 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, tertiary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release