Average years of schooling in Jamaica
Jamaica: Average years of schooling was 9.15 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
9.15 years
World rank
85th
of 162 countries
All-time high
9.64 years
in 2015
All-time low
0.507 years
in 1870
Years of data
24
1870–2020
Average years of schooling in Jamaica, 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 Jamaica is 9.15 years, measured in 2020.
The figure is up 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Jamaica peaked at 9.64 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.507 years, in 1870.
Jamaica ranks 85th 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 Jamaica, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.507 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.699 years | +37.9% |
| 1890 | 1.19 years | +70.5% |
| 1900 | 1.66 years | +39.0% |
| 1913 | 2.24 years | +35.2% |
| 1925 | 2.55 years | +14.0% |
| 1929 | 2.56 years | +0.3% |
| 1933 | 2.74 years | +7.1% |
| 1938 | 2.9 years | +5.7% |
| 1950 | 3.13 years | +7.9% |
| 1955 | 3.91 years | +24.9% |
| 1960 | 4.82 years | +23.2% |
| 1965 | 5.36 years | +11.2% |
| 1970 | 5.81 years | +8.4% |
| 1975 | 6.47 years | +11.4% |
| 1980 | 7.25 years | +12.1% |
| 1985 | 7.7 years | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 8.11 years | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 8.43 years | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 8.68 years | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 9.02 years | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 9.08 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 9.64 years | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 9.15 years | -5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.507 years | 0.507 years | 0.507 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.699 years | 0.699 years | 0.699 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.19 years | 1.19 years | 1.19 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.66 years | 1.66 years | 1.66 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 2.24 years | 2.24 years | 2.24 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 2.56 years | 2.55 years | 2.56 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 2.82 years | 2.74 years | 2.9 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 3.52 years | 3.13 years | 3.91 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 5.09 years | 4.82 years | 5.36 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 6.14 years | 5.81 years | 6.47 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 7.47 years | 7.25 years | 7.7 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 8.27 years | 8.11 years | 8.43 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.85 years | 8.68 years | 9.02 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.36 years | 9.08 years | 9.64 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 9.15 years | 9.15 years | 9.15 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 82 Dominican Republic 9.31 years compare
- 83 Mexico 9.22 years compare
- 84 Brunei Darussalam 9.18 years compare
- 86 Uruguay 8.98 years compare
- 87 Philippines 8.97 years compare
- 88 Colombia 8.86 years compare
More education data for Jamaica
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 11,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,597 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,983 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 51,265 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 177,095 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 211,097 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 8.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Jamaica?
- Average years of schooling in Jamaica was 9.15 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 9.64 years in 2015.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.507 years in 1870.
- How does Jamaica rank for average years of schooling?
- Jamaica ranks 85th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.