Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in China
China: Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) was 3 years in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
3 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
52nd
of 221 countries
All-time high
3 years
in 1978
All-time low
2 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in China, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for theoretical duration of upper secondary education in China is 3 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of upper secondary education in China peaked at 3 years in 1978 and was at its lowest, 2 years, in 1970.
China ranks 52nd of 221 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in China, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2 years | — |
| 1971 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2 years | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 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% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 3 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.2 years | 2 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 China
- 52 Aruba 3 years compare
- 52 Afghanistan 3 years compare
- 52 Angola 3 years compare
- 52 Albania 3 years compare
- 52 Argentina 3 years compare
- 52 Armenia 3 years compare
- 52 Benin 3 years compare
- 52 Burkina Faso 3 years compare
- 52 Bahrain 3 years compare
- 52 Bahamas 3 years compare
- 52 Brazil 3 years compare
- 52 Central African Republic 3 years compare
- 52 Canada 3 years compare
- 52 Cote d'Ivoire 3 years compare
- 52 Cameroon 3 years compare
- 52 Congo 3 years compare
- 52 Cook Islands 3 years compare
- 52 Comoros 3 years compare
- 52 Cape Verde 3 years compare
- 52 Cuba 3 years compare
- 52 Cayman Islands 3 years compare
- 52 Cyprus 3 years compare
- 52 Germany 3 years compare
- 52 Djibouti 3 years compare
- 52 Denmark 3 years compare
- 52 Dominican Republic 3 years compare
- 52 Algeria 3 years compare
- 52 Ecuador 3 years compare
- 52 Egypt 3 years compare
- 52 Western Sahara 3 years compare
- 52 Spain 3 years compare
- 52 Estonia 3 years compare
- 52 Finland 3 years compare
- 52 Fiji 3 years compare
- 52 France 3 years compare
- 52 Gabon 3 years compare
- 52 Georgia 3 years compare
- 52 Ghana 3 years compare
- 52 Guinea 3 years compare
- 52 Guadeloupe 3 years compare
- 52 Gambia 3 years compare
- 52 Guinea-Bissau 3 years compare
- 52 Greece 3 years compare
- 52 Guatemala 3 years compare
- 52 French Guiana 3 years compare
- 52 Hong Kong 3 years compare
- 52 Indonesia 3 years compare
- 52 Iran 3 years compare
- 52 Iraq 3 years compare
- 52 Israel 3 years compare
- 52 Japan 3 years compare
- 52 Cambodia 3 years compare
- 52 South Korea 3 years compare
- 52 Kuwait 3 years compare
- 52 Laos 3 years compare
- 52 Lebanon 3 years compare
- 52 Liberia 3 years compare
- 52 Libya 3 years compare
- 52 Liechtenstein 3 years compare
- 52 Latvia 3 years compare
- 52 Macao 3 years compare
- 52 Morocco 3 years compare
- 52 Monaco 3 years compare
- 52 Moldova 3 years compare
- 52 Madagascar 3 years compare
- 52 Mexico 3 years compare
- 52 Mali 3 years compare
- 52 Mongolia 3 years compare
- 52 Mauritania 3 years compare
- 52 Martinique 3 years compare
- 52 Malaysia 3 years compare
- 52 New Caledonia 3 years compare
- 52 Niger 3 years compare
- 52 Nigeria 3 years compare
- 52 Niue 3 years compare
- 52 Netherlands 3 years compare
- 52 Norway 3 years compare
- 52 New Zealand 3 years compare
- 52 Panama 3 years compare
- 52 Puerto Rico 3 years compare
- 52 North Korea 3 years compare
- 52 Portugal 3 years compare
- 52 Paraguay 3 years compare
- 52 Palestine 3 years compare
- 52 French Polynesia 3 years compare
- 52 Qatar 3 years compare
- 52 Reunion 3 years compare
- 52 Rwanda 3 years compare
- 52 Saudi Arabia 3 years compare
- 52 Sudan 3 years compare
- 52 Senegal 3 years compare
- 52 Saint Helena 3 years compare
- 52 El Salvador 3 years compare
- 52 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3 years compare
- 52 Sao Tome and Principe 3 years compare
- 52 Suriname 3 years compare
- 52 Sweden 3 years compare
- 52 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 3 years compare
- 52 Syria 3 years compare
- 52 Chad 3 years compare
- 52 Togo 3 years compare
- 52 Thailand 3 years compare
- 52 East Timor 3 years compare
- 52 Tonga 3 years compare
- 52 Tuvalu 3 years compare
- 52 Uruguay 3 years compare
- 52 United States 3 years compare
- 52 British Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 52 United States Virgin Islands 3 years compare
- 52 Vietnam 3 years compare
- 52 Vanuatu 3 years compare
- 52 Yemen 3 years compare
- 52 South Africa 3 years compare
- 52 Zambia 3 years compare
More education data for China
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 7.41 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 7,020 (2021)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 21.58 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 19.36 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 97.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 108.57 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.9587 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0771 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of upper secondary education in China?
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in China was 3 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3 years in 1978.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 years in 1970.
- How does China rank for theoretical duration of upper secondary education?
- China ranks 52nd out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of upper secondary education rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release