Average years of schooling in Senegal
Senegal: Average years of schooling was 2.94 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Senegal, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Senegal recorded 2.94 years for average years of schooling in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Senegal peaked at 2.99 years in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.
That places Senegal 156th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling in Senegal, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.1 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.12 years | +20.0% |
| 1913 | 0.14 years | +16.7% |
| 1925 | 0.19 years | +35.7% |
| 1929 | 0.18 years | -5.3% |
| 1933 | 0.1933 years | +7.4% |
| 1938 | 0.2 years | +3.5% |
| 1950 | 0.22 years | +10.0% |
| 1955 | 0.2923 years | +32.9% |
| 1960 | 0.39 years | +33.4% |
| 1965 | 0.4828 years | +23.8% |
| 1970 | 0.61 years | +26.3% |
| 1975 | 0.9585 years | +57.1% |
| 1980 | 1.26 years | +31.5% |
| 1985 | 1.61 years | +28.0% |
| 1990 | 1.94 years | +20.3% |
| 1995 | 2.33 years | +20.3% |
| 2000 | 2.57 years | +10.1% |
| 2005 | 1.87 years | -27.1% |
| 2010 | 2.99 years | +59.6% |
| 2015 | 2.76 years | -7.7% |
| 2020 | 2.94 years | +6.5% |
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 | 0.12 years | 0.12 years | 0.12 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.14 years | 0.14 years | 0.14 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.185 years | 0.18 years | 0.19 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.1966 years | 0.1933 years | 0.2 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.2561 years | 0.22 years | 0.2923 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 0.4364 years | 0.39 years | 0.4828 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.7842 years | 0.61 years | 0.9585 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 1.44 years | 1.26 years | 1.61 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 2.14 years | 1.94 years | 2.33 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.22 years | 1.87 years | 2.57 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.87 years | 2.76 years | 2.99 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.94 years | 2.94 years | 2.94 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
More education data for Senegal
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 181,550 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.28 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4401 % 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 0.127 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 2.35 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 0.4401 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Senegal?
- Average years of schooling in Senegal was 2.94 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 2.99 years in 2010.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
- How does Senegal rank for average years of schooling?
- Senegal ranks 156th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Senegal 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.