Teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand
New Zealand: Teachers in primary education, both sexes was 26,597 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
26,597
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
111th
of 216 countries
All-time high
26,809
in 2019
All-time low
16,057
in 1988
Years of data
46
1971–2024
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand stood at 26,597.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand peaked at 26,809 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16,057, in 1988.
That places New Zealand 111th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 19,163 | — |
| 1972 | 19,499 | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 19,831 | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 20,086 | +1.3% |
| 1976 | 21,339 | +6.2% |
| 1977 | 21,297 | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 21,273 | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 20,063 | -5.7% |
| 1981 | 22,277 | +11.0% |
| 1982 | 17,306 | -22.3% |
| 1984 | 16,728 | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 16,169 | -3.3% |
| 1988 | 16,057 | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 16,154 | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 17,729 | +9.7% |
| 1991 | 18,960 | +6.9% |
| 1992 | 19,583 | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 19,443 | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 18,146 | -6.7% |
| 1997 | 19,523 | +7.6% |
| 1998 | 18,654 | -4.5% |
| 1999 | 19,739 | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 19,490 | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 20,368 | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 20,363 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 20,053 | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 21,562 | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 21,681 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 22,083 | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 22,257 | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 22,730 | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 23,800 | +4.7% |
| 2010 | 24,053 | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 23,872 | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 23,829 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 25,072 | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 25,407 | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 25,787 | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 25,762 | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 26,126 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 26,809 | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 26,685 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 26,607 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 26,591 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 26,583 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 26,597 | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 20,319 | 19,163 | 21,339 | 8 |
| 1980s | 17,448 | 16,057 | 22,277 | 6 |
| 1990s | 18,972 | 17,729 | 19,739 | 8 |
| 2000s | 21,439 | 19,490 | 23,800 | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,191 | 23,829 | 26,809 | 9 |
| 2020s | 26,613 | 26,583 | 26,685 | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 108 Nicaragua 29,707 compare
- 109 Hong Kong, China 28,284 compare
- 110 Kyrgyzstan 26,847 compare
- 112 Czechia 25,979 compare
- 113 Palestine, State of 25,038 compare
- 114 Turkmenistan 24,978 compare
More education data for New Zealand
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36,426 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,020 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 56,552 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 53,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 383,018 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0724 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in New Zealand was 26,597 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 26,809 in 2019.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 16,057 in 1988.
- How does New Zealand rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- New Zealand ranks 111th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release