Average years of schooling in Panama
Panama: Average years of schooling was 10.54 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling in Panama, 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 Panama is 10.54 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Panama peaked at 10.54 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.41 years, in 1950.
That places Panama 68th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Average years of schooling in Panama, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.41 years | — |
| 1955 | 4.02 years | +17.9% |
| 1960 | 4.7 years | +16.9% |
| 1965 | 4.97 years | +5.7% |
| 1970 | 5.36 years | +7.9% |
| 1975 | 6.15 years | +14.8% |
| 1980 | 7.04 years | +14.4% |
| 1985 | 7.7 years | +9.4% |
| 1990 | 7.98 years | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 8.54 years | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 8.63 years | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 9.02 years | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 9.06 years | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 9.85 years | +8.8% |
| 2020 | 10.54 years | +7.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.72 years | 3.41 years | 4.02 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 4.83 years | 4.7 years | 4.97 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 5.76 years | 5.36 years | 6.15 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 7.37 years | 7.04 years | 7.7 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 8.26 years | 7.98 years | 8.54 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.82 years | 8.63 years | 9.02 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.46 years | 9.06 years | 9.85 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 10.54 years | 10.54 years | 10.54 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Panama
More education data for Panama
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 46,052 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 311,983 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 451,308 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0999 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 451,308 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 2.02 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Panama?
- Average years of schooling in Panama was 10.54 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 10.54 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.41 years in 1950.
- How does Panama rank for average years of schooling?
- Panama ranks 68th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Panama 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.