Average years of schooling in Ghana
Ghana: Average years of schooling was 8.33 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Ghana, 1870–2020
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 Ghana stood at 8.33 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Ghana peaked at 8.33 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.
Ghana ranks 102nd 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 Ghana, 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 | 0.12 years | +20.0% |
| 1925 | 0.2504 years | +108.7% |
| 1929 | 0.3 years | +19.8% |
| 1933 | 0.3744 years | +24.8% |
| 1938 | 0.42 years | +12.2% |
| 1950 | 1.18 years | +181.0% |
| 1955 | 1.44 years | +21.9% |
| 1960 | 1.93 years | +34.2% |
| 1965 | 2.53 years | +31.0% |
| 1970 | 3.4 years | +34.4% |
| 1975 | 3.95 years | +16.2% |
| 1980 | 4.37 years | +10.6% |
| 1985 | 4.71 years | +7.8% |
| 1990 | 4.85 years | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 4.94 years | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 5.29 years | +7.1% |
| 2005 | 5.69 years | +7.5% |
| 2010 | 5.61 years | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 6.94 years | +23.7% |
| 2020 | 8.33 years | +20.0% |
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 | 0.12 years | 0.12 years | 0.12 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.2752 years | 0.2504 years | 0.3 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.3972 years | 0.3744 years | 0.42 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 1.31 years | 1.18 years | 1.44 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 2.23 years | 1.93 years | 2.53 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 3.68 years | 3.4 years | 3.95 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 4.54 years | 4.37 years | 4.71 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 4.89 years | 4.85 years | 4.94 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 5.49 years | 5.29 years | 5.69 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 6.28 years | 5.61 years | 6.94 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 8.33 years | 8.33 years | 8.33 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More education data for Ghana
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 174,414 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 39,902 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 949,095 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 913,117 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.33 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.98 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.6567 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1448 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Ghana?
- Average years of schooling in Ghana was 8.33 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 8.33 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
- How does Ghana rank for average years of schooling?
- Ghana ranks 102nd out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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
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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.