Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in United States
United States: Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) was 3 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
3 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
91st
of 221 countries
All-time high
3 years
in 1970
All-time low
3 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in United States, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in United States stood at 3 years. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of lower secondary education in United States peaked at 3 years in 1970 and was at its lowest, 3 years, in 1970.
That places United States 91st out of 221 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years) in United States, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3 years | — |
| 1971 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 3 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3 years | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 3 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 91 Afghanistan 3 years compare
- 91 Angola 3 years compare
- 91 Anguilla 3 years compare
- 91 Argentina 3 years compare
- 91 Antigua and Barbuda 3 years compare
- 91 Burundi 3 years compare
- 91 Bangladesh 3 years compare
- 91 Bulgaria 3 years compare
- 91 Bahrain 3 years compare
- 91 Bahamas 3 years compare
- 91 Bermuda 3 years compare
- 91 Barbados 3 years compare
- 91 Botswana 3 years compare
- 91 Canada 3 years compare
- 91 Switzerland 3 years compare
- 91 China 3 years compare
- 91 Cape Verde 3 years compare
- 91 Costa Rica 3 years compare
- 91 Cuba 3 years compare
- 91 Cayman Islands 3 years compare
- 91 Cyprus 3 years compare
- 91 Dominica 3 years compare
- 91 Denmark 3 years compare
- 91 Dominican Republic 3 years compare
- 91 Ecuador 3 years compare
- 91 Egypt 3 years compare
- 91 Eritrea 3 years compare
- 91 Western Sahara 3 years compare
- 91 Spain 3 years compare
- 91 Estonia 3 years compare
- 91 Finland 3 years compare
- 91 United Kingdom 3 years compare
- 91 Georgia 3 years compare
- 91 Ghana 3 years compare
- 91 Gibraltar 3 years compare
- 91 Gambia 3 years compare
- 91 Guinea-Bissau 3 years compare
- 91 Greece 3 years compare
- 91 Grenada 3 years compare
- 91 Guatemala 3 years compare
- 91 Guyana 3 years compare
- 91 Hong Kong 3 years compare
- 91 Honduras 3 years compare
- 91 Haiti 3 years compare
- 91 Indonesia 3 years compare
- 91 India 3 years compare
- 91 Ireland 3 years compare
- 91 Iran 3 years compare
- 91 Iraq 3 years compare
- 91 Iceland 3 years compare
- 91 Israel 3 years compare
- 91 Italy 3 years compare
- 91 Jamaica 3 years compare
- 91 Japan 3 years compare
- 91 Cambodia 3 years compare
- 91 Kiribati 3 years compare
- 91 Saint Kitts and Nevis 3 years compare
- 91 South Korea 3 years compare
- 91 Lebanon 3 years compare
- 91 Liberia 3 years compare
- 91 Libya 3 years compare
- 91 Saint Lucia 3 years compare
- 91 Lesotho 3 years compare
- 91 Luxembourg 3 years compare
- 91 Latvia 3 years compare
- 91 Macao 3 years compare
- 91 Morocco 3 years compare
- 91 Mexico 3 years compare
- 91 Mali 3 years compare
- 91 Malta 3 years compare
- 91 Mozambique 3 years compare
- 91 Montserrat 3 years compare
- 91 Mauritius 3 years compare
- 91 Malaysia 3 years compare
- 91 Namibia 3 years compare
- 91 Nigeria 3 years compare
- 91 Nicaragua 3 years compare
- 91 Netherlands 3 years compare
- 91 Norway 3 years compare
- 91 Nepal 3 years compare
- 91 Pakistan 3 years compare
- 91 Panama 3 years compare
- 91 Peru 3 years compare
- 91 Puerto Rico 3 years compare
- 91 North Korea 3 years compare
- 91 Portugal 3 years compare
- 91 Paraguay 3 years compare
- 91 Qatar 3 years compare
- 91 Rwanda 3 years compare
- 91 Saudi Arabia 3 years compare
- 91 Sudan 3 years compare
- 91 Saint Helena 3 years compare
- 91 Solomon Islands 3 years compare
- 91 Sierra Leone 3 years compare
- 91 El Salvador 3 years compare
- 91 San Marino 3 years compare
- 91 Sao Tome and Principe 3 years compare
- 91 Slovenia 3 years compare
- 91 Sweden 3 years compare
- 91 Eswatini 3 years compare
- 91 Seychelles 3 years compare
- 91 Syria 3 years compare
- 91 Turks and Caicos Islands 3 years compare
- 91 Thailand 3 years compare
- 91 East Timor 3 years compare
- 91 Trinidad and Tobago 3 years compare
- 91 Tunisia 3 years compare
- 91 Uruguay 3 years compare
- 91 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3 years compare
- 91 Venezuela 3 years compare
- 91 British Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 91 United States Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 91 Yemen 3 years compare
More education data for United States
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of lower secondary education in United States?
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education in United States was 3 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 3 years in 1970.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of lower secondary education recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 years in 1970.
- How does United States rank for theoretical duration of lower secondary education?
- United States ranks 91st out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of lower secondary education rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release