Average years of schooling in Benin
Benin: Average years of schooling was 4.3 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Benin, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Benin recorded 4.3 years for average years of schooling in 2020. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Benin peaked at 4.3 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.
That places Benin 149th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Benin, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.1 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.13 years | +30.0% |
| 1900 | 0.16 years | +23.1% |
| 1913 | 0.19 years | +18.8% |
| 1925 | 0.1 years | -47.4% |
| 1929 | 0.25 years | +150.0% |
| 1933 | 0.27 years | +8.0% |
| 1938 | 0.29 years | +7.4% |
| 1950 | 0.33 years | +13.8% |
| 1955 | 0.3786 years | +14.7% |
| 1960 | 0.42 years | +10.9% |
| 1965 | 0.5137 years | +22.3% |
| 1970 | 0.56 years | +9.0% |
| 1975 | 0.7027 years | +25.5% |
| 1980 | 0.98 years | +39.5% |
| 1985 | 1.42 years | +44.5% |
| 1990 | 1.82 years | +28.5% |
| 1995 | 2.06 years | +12.9% |
| 2000 | 2.33 years | +13.4% |
| 2005 | 2.74 years | +17.8% |
| 2010 | 3.23 years | +17.8% |
| 2015 | 3.51 years | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 4.3 years | +22.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.13 years | 0.13 years | 0.13 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.16 years | 0.16 years | 0.16 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.19 years | 0.19 years | 0.19 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.175 years | 0.1 years | 0.25 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.28 years | 0.27 years | 0.29 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.3543 years | 0.33 years | 0.3786 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.4668 years | 0.42 years | 0.5137 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.6314 years | 0.56 years | 0.7027 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.2 years | 0.98 years | 1.42 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.94 years | 1.82 years | 2.06 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.54 years | 2.33 years | 2.74 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 3.37 years | 3.23 years | 3.51 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 4.3 years | 4.3 years | 4.3 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More education data for Benin
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 84,746 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 929,099 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1743 units per person (2022)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Benin?
- Average years of schooling in Benin was 4.3 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 Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
- How does Benin rank for average years of schooling?
- Benin ranks 149th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Benin 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.