Average years of schooling in Iceland
Iceland: Average years of schooling was 13.77 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling in Iceland, 1950–2020
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 Iceland is 13.77 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Iceland peaked at 13.77 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.9 years, in 1950.
Iceland ranks 4th of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Average years of schooling in Iceland, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.9 years | — |
| 1955 | 5.29 years | +8.1% |
| 1960 | 5.79 years | +9.4% |
| 1965 | 6.31 years | +9.0% |
| 1970 | 6.83 years | +8.3% |
| 1975 | 7.53 years | +10.2% |
| 1980 | 8.23 years | +9.3% |
| 1985 | 8.84 years | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 9.44 years | +6.9% |
| 1995 | 10.12 years | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 10.6 years | +4.7% |
| 2005 | 11.2 years | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 11.39 years | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 12.19 years | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 13.77 years | +12.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.1 years | 4.9 years | 5.29 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 6.05 years | 5.79 years | 6.31 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 7.18 years | 6.83 years | 7.53 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 8.53 years | 8.23 years | 8.84 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 9.78 years | 9.44 years | 10.12 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 10.9 years | 10.6 years | 11.2 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 11.79 years | 11.39 years | 12.19 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 13.77 years | 13.77 years | 13.77 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More education data for Iceland
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 6,167 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 37,056 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 32,314 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0838 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 32,314 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.17 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Iceland?
- Average years of schooling in Iceland was 13.77 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.77 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9 years in 1950.
- How does Iceland rank for average years of schooling?
- Iceland ranks 4th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.