Average years of schooling in Pakistan
Pakistan: Average years of schooling was 4.54 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling in Pakistan, 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 Pakistan is 4.54 years, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Pakistan peaked at 5.09 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 1.17 years, in 1950.
That places Pakistan 145th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Average years of schooling in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.17 years | — |
| 1955 | 1.23 years | +4.9% |
| 1960 | 1.43 years | +16.5% |
| 1965 | 1.6 years | +12.2% |
| 1970 | 1.72 years | +7.2% |
| 1975 | 2.07 years | +20.1% |
| 1980 | 2.38 years | +15.2% |
| 1985 | 2.79 years | +17.1% |
| 1990 | 3.25 years | +16.6% |
| 1995 | 3.7 years | +13.7% |
| 2000 | 4.22 years | +14.2% |
| 2005 | 5.04 years | +19.5% |
| 2010 | 4.87 years | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 5.09 years | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 4.54 years | -10.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.2 years | 1.17 years | 1.23 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 1.52 years | 1.43 years | 1.6 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.89 years | 1.72 years | 2.07 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 2.58 years | 2.38 years | 2.79 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.47 years | 3.25 years | 3.7 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 4.63 years | 4.22 years | 5.04 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 4.98 years | 4.87 years | 5.09 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 4.54 years | 4.54 years | 4.54 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More education data for Pakistan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 440,233 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 5.05 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.90 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 19.70 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.38 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 3.1 % 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 0.101 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Pakistan?
- Average years of schooling in Pakistan was 4.54 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 5.09 years in 2015.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.17 years in 1950.
- How does Pakistan rank for average years of schooling?
- Pakistan ranks 145th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.