Average years of schooling in Finland
Finland: Average years of schooling was 12.87 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Finland, 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 Finland is 12.87 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Finland peaked at 12.87 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.45 years, in 1870.
That places Finland 17th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Finland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 1.45 years | — |
| 1880 | 1.53 years | +5.5% |
| 1890 | 1.62 years | +5.9% |
| 1900 | 1.73 years | +6.8% |
| 1913 | 2 years | +15.6% |
| 1925 | 3.12 years | +55.8% |
| 1929 | 3.64 years | +16.9% |
| 1933 | 4.19 years | +15.0% |
| 1938 | 4.96 years | +18.5% |
| 1950 | 5.98 years | +20.6% |
| 1955 | 6.36 years | +6.4% |
| 1960 | 6.95 years | +9.2% |
| 1965 | 7.2 years | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 7.64 years | +6.2% |
| 1975 | 8.44 years | +10.5% |
| 1980 | 9.45 years | +11.9% |
| 1985 | 10.07 years | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 10.58 years | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 11.08 years | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 11.47 years | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 11.75 years | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 12.03 years | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 11.19 years | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 12.87 years | +15.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 1.45 years | 1.45 years | 1.45 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.53 years | 1.53 years | 1.53 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.62 years | 1.62 years | 1.62 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.73 years | 1.73 years | 1.73 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 3.38 years | 3.12 years | 3.64 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 4.57 years | 4.19 years | 4.96 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 6.17 years | 5.98 years | 6.36 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 7.07 years | 6.95 years | 7.2 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 8.04 years | 7.64 years | 8.44 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 9.76 years | 9.45 years | 10.07 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 10.83 years | 10.58 years | 11.08 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.61 years | 11.47 years | 11.75 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 11.61 years | 11.19 years | 12.03 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 12.87 years | 12.87 years | 12.87 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Finland
More education data for Finland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,938 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,144 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 94,036 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 89,318 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 543,350 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 360,117 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0641 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Finland?
- Average years of schooling in Finland was 12.87 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 Finland?
- The highest recorded value was 12.87 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Finland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.45 years in 1870.
- How does Finland rank for average years of schooling?
- Finland ranks 17th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Finland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Finland 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.