Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in Iran
Iran: Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) was 3 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
3 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
52nd
of 221 countries
All-time high
4 years
in 1978
All-time low
3 years
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Iran, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
Iran recorded 3 years for theoretical duration of upper secondary education in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 56 years on record.
The figure is down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Iran peaked at 4 years in 1978 and was at its lowest, 3 years, in 1970.
That places Iran 52nd out of 221 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years) in Iran, 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 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1979 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 4 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3 years | -25.0% |
| 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% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 3 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 3 years is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3 years, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.2 years | 3 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 years | 4 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6 years | 3 years | 4 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 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 China 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 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 Iran
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 406,399 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 108,066 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 519,698 (2020)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 505,053 (2020)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.62 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 9.09 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1003 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Iran?
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education in Iran was 3 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 4 years in 1978.
- What is the lowest theoretical duration of upper secondary education recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 years in 1970.
- How does Iran rank for theoretical duration of upper secondary education?
- Iran ranks 52nd out of 221 countries with data for 2025.
- Is theoretical duration of upper secondary education rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Iran 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release