School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in Malawi
Malawi: School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) was 0.2105 years in 2024. ◆ Volatile
School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in Malawi, 1973–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2024, school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in Malawi stood at 0.2105 years. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is up 55.5% on the previous year and up 408.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in Malawi peaked at 0.2105 years in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0155 years, in 1999.
That places Malawi 189th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom 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 Malawi, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 0.0233 years | — |
| 1974 | 0.0235 years | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 0.0237 years | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 0.0208 years | -12.3% |
| 1977 | 0.0212 years | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 0.0196 years | -7.4% |
| 1979 | 0.0209 years | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 0.0231 years | +10.3% |
| 1981 | 0.0225 years | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 0.0221 years | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 0.0214 years | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 0.0213 years | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 0.0214 years | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 0.0212 years | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 0.022 years | +3.7% |
| 1988 | 0.0206 years | -6.2% |
| 1989 | 0.0217 years | +5.1% |
| 1990 | 0.0259 years | +19.1% |
| 1991 | 0.0269 years | +3.9% |
| 1992 | 0.027 years | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 0.027 years | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 0.0287 years | +6.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0295 years | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 0.0299 years | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 0.0155 years | -48.3% |
| 2000 | 0.0166 years | +7.2% |
| 2001 | 0.0182 years | +10.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0193 years | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 0.0196 years | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 0.0231 years | +18.2% |
| 2005 | 0.0227 years | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 0.024 years | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 0.0239 years | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 0.0356 years | +49.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0408 years | +14.7% |
| 2012 | 0.0419 years | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 0.0414 years | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 0.0405 years | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 0.0847 years | +109.2% |
| 2020 | 0.1201 years | +41.8% |
| 2021 | 0.1199 years | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.1354 years | +12.9% |
| 2024 | 0.2105 years | +55.5% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.2105 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.3433 years, 61% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.2105 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5449 years, 39% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in Malawi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +109.2% | 0.0405 years | 0.0847 years |
| 2024 | +55.5% | 0.1354 years | 0.2105 years |
| 1999 | -48.3% | 0.0299 years | 0.0155 years |
| 2010 | +49.2% | 0.0239 years | 0.0356 years |
| 2020 | +41.8% | 0.0847 years | 0.1201 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0219 years | 0.0196 years | 0.0237 years | 7 |
| 1980s | 0.0217 years | 0.0206 years | 0.0231 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0263 years | 0.0155 years | 0.0299 years | 8 |
| 2000s | 0.0209 years | 0.0166 years | 0.024 years | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.0475 years | 0.0356 years | 0.0847 years | 6 |
| 2020s | 0.1465 years | 0.1199 years | 0.2105 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in Malawi?
- School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in Malawi was 0.2105 years in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2105 years in 2024.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0155 years in 1999.
- How does Malawi rank for school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes?
- Malawi ranks 189th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 408.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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 — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release