School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in South Africa
South Africa: School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) was 1.18 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in South Africa, 1970–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.18 years for school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 1.21 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.1994 years, in 1970.
South Africa ranks 127th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.1994 years | — |
| 1973 | 0.2196 years | +10.1% |
| 1988 | 0.5261 years | +139.6% |
| 1989 | 0.5663 years | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 0.5718 years | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 0.5923 years | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 0.6164 years | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 0.6812 years | +10.5% |
| 1994 | 0.7852 years | +15.3% |
| 2002 | 0.8396 years | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 0.8655 years | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 0.8763 years | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 0.8404 years | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 0.8108 years | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 0.8373 years | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 0.9106 years | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 0.9637 years | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 0.9993 years | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 1.09 years | +9.5% |
| 2013 | 1.11 years | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 1.07 years | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 1.09 years | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 1.06 years | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 1.15 years | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 1.2 years | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 1.18 years | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 1.18 years | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 1.15 years | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 1.21 years | +5.5% |
| 2023 | 1.18 years | -2.5% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.18 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.5 years, 47% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.18 years is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5449 years, 2.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes (years) (both sexes) in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +139.6% | 0.2196 years | 0.5261 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.2095 years | 0.1994 years | 0.2196 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.5462 years | 0.5261 years | 0.5663 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 0.6494 years | 0.5718 years | 0.7852 years | 5 |
| 2000s | 0.8543 years | 0.8108 years | 0.9106 years | 7 |
| 2010s | 1.09 years | 0.9637 years | 1.2 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.18 years | 1.15 years | 1.21 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 124 Antigua and Barbuda 1.28 years compare
- 125 Belize 1.27 years compare
- 126 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.26 years compare
- 128 Bangladesh 1.17 years compare
- 129 Cape Verde 1.16 years compare
- 130 Zimbabwe 1.11 years compare
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in South Africa?
- School life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes in South Africa was 1.18 years in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 years in 2022.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1994 years in 1970.
- How does South Africa rank for school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes?
- South Africa ranks 127th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is school life expectancy, tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release