Average years of schooling in Colombia
Colombia: Average years of schooling was 8.86 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Colombia, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average years of schooling in Colombia is 8.86 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Colombia peaked at 8.86 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.6843 years, in 1870.
Colombia ranks 88th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Colombia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.6843 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.8981 years | +31.2% |
| 1890 | 1.02 years | +14.1% |
| 1900 | 1.29 years | +26.0% |
| 1913 | 1.61 years | +25.0% |
| 1925 | 2.6 years | +61.1% |
| 1929 | 2.8 years | +7.6% |
| 1933 | 3.04 years | +8.7% |
| 1938 | 3.18 years | +4.6% |
| 1950 | 3.39 years | +6.5% |
| 1955 | 3.58 years | +5.6% |
| 1960 | 3.79 years | +6.0% |
| 1965 | 4 years | +5.6% |
| 1970 | 4.36 years | +8.8% |
| 1975 | 4.59 years | +5.3% |
| 1980 | 4.91 years | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 5.5 years | +12.0% |
| 1990 | 5.98 years | +8.9% |
| 1995 | 6.5 years | +8.5% |
| 2000 | 6.96 years | +7.1% |
| 2005 | 6.49 years | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 7.6 years | +17.2% |
| 2015 | 7.56 years | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 8.86 years | +17.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.6843 years | 0.6843 years | 0.6843 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.8981 years | 0.8981 years | 0.8981 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.02 years | 1.02 years | 1.02 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.29 years | 1.29 years | 1.29 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.61 years | 1.61 years | 1.61 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 2.7 years | 2.6 years | 2.8 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 3.11 years | 3.04 years | 3.18 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 3.48 years | 3.39 years | 3.58 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 3.9 years | 3.79 years | 4 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 4.47 years | 4.36 years | 4.59 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 5.2 years | 4.91 years | 5.5 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 6.24 years | 5.98 years | 6.5 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 6.72 years | 6.49 years | 6.96 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 7.58 years | 7.56 years | 7.6 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 8.86 years | 8.86 years | 8.86 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Colombia
More education data for Colombia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 190,940 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 234,939 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 963,182 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 937,684 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.85 million (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.14 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.08 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Colombia?
- Average years of schooling in Colombia was 8.86 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 Colombia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.86 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Colombia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6843 years in 1870.
- How does Colombia rank for average years of schooling?
- Colombia ranks 88th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Colombia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Colombia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Average number of years of total schooling (primary, secondary, and tertiary) for the population aged 15 and over.