Average years of schooling in Barbados
Barbados: Average years of schooling was 9.85 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling in Barbados, 1950–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2020, average years of schooling in Barbados stood at 9.85 years.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Barbados peaked at 10.46 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.85 years, in 1950.
That places Barbados 75th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Average years of schooling in Barbados, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 5.85 years | — |
| 1955 | 6.17 years | +5.4% |
| 1960 | 6.51 years | +5.6% |
| 1965 | 6.99 years | +7.4% |
| 1970 | 7.54 years | +7.8% |
| 1975 | 7.66 years | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 8.11 years | +5.8% |
| 1985 | 8.64 years | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 8.95 years | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 9.32 years | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 9.17 years | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 9.64 years | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 9.68 years | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 10.46 years | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 9.85 years | -5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.01 years | 5.85 years | 6.17 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 6.75 years | 6.51 years | 6.99 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 7.6 years | 7.54 years | 7.66 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 8.37 years | 8.11 years | 8.64 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 9.13 years | 8.95 years | 9.32 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 9.41 years | 9.17 years | 9.64 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 10.07 years | 9.68 years | 10.46 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 9.85 years | 9.85 years | 9.85 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More education data for Barbados
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 279 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2,255 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2,277 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 18,457 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 16,314 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -5.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0578 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Barbados?
- Average years of schooling in Barbados was 9.85 years in 2020, according to Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 10.46 years in 2015.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.85 years in 1950.
- How does Barbados rank for average years of schooling?
- Barbados ranks 75th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years of total schooling (primary, secondary, and tertiary) for the population aged 15 and over.