Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) was 244,652 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia, 1979–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
The most recent figure for teachers in primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia is 244,652, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and down 29.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia peaked at 347,349 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 42,556, in 1979.
That places Saudi Arabia 31st out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 42,556 | — |
| 2005 | 273,288 | +542.2% |
| 2007 | 282,697 | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 298,644 | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 284,750 | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 297,737 | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 304,041 | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 315,626 | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 344,836 | +9.3% |
| 2014 | 347,349 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 320,731 | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 286,923 | -10.5% |
| 2017 | 264,175 | -7.9% |
| 2018 | 238,784 | -9.6% |
| 2019 | 231,117 | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 248,318 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 239,942 | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 234,751 | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 244,652 | +4.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 244,652 is above the median for high income countries, which is 17,584, 13.9× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 244,652 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 84,596, 2.9× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +542.2% | 42,556 | 273,288 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 42,556 | 42,556 | 42,556 | 1 |
| 2000s | 284,845 | 273,288 | 298,644 | 4 |
| 2010s | 295,132 | 231,117 | 347,349 | 10 |
| 2020s | 241,916 | 234,751 | 248,318 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is teachers in primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in Saudi Arabia was 244,652 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 347,349 in 2014.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 42,556 in 1979.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 31st out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release