Average years of schooling in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Average years of schooling was 3.2 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia is 3.2 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 47.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Ethiopia peaked at 3.2 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.
That places Ethiopia 152nd 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.1 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.1053 years | +5.3% |
| 1933 | 0.1149 years | +9.1% |
| 1938 | 0.1292 years | +12.5% |
| 1950 | 0.1675 years | +29.6% |
| 1955 | 0.2094 years | +25.0% |
| 1960 | 0.2513 years | +20.0% |
| 1965 | 0.3088 years | +22.9% |
| 1970 | 0.3821 years | +23.7% |
| 1975 | 0.5025 years | +31.5% |
| 1980 | 0.6648 years | +32.3% |
| 1985 | 0.8951 years | +34.6% |
| 1990 | 1.13 years | +25.7% |
| 1995 | 1.32 years | +17.2% |
| 2000 | 1.48 years | +11.9% |
| 2005 | 1.48 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.18 years | +47.4% |
| 2015 | 2.58 years | +18.6% |
| 2020 | 3.2 years | +24.1% |
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 | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.1026 years | 0.1 years | 0.1053 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.122 years | 0.1149 years | 0.1292 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.1884 years | 0.1675 years | 0.2094 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.2801 years | 0.2513 years | 0.3088 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.4423 years | 0.3821 years | 0.5025 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.78 years | 0.6648 years | 0.8951 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 1.22 years | 1.13 years | 1.32 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.48 years | 1.48 years | 1.48 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.38 years | 2.18 years | 2.58 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 3.2 years | 3.2 years | 3.2 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More education data for Ethiopia
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 900,151 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.32 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.16 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.03 million (2015)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15.93 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1206 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 Ethiopia?
- Average years of schooling in Ethiopia was 3.2 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.2 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
- How does Ethiopia rank for average years of schooling?
- Ethiopia ranks 152nd out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.