Average years of schooling in South Africa
South Africa: Average years of schooling was 11.37 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in South Africa, 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 South Africa is 11.37 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in South Africa peaked at 11.37 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.1 years, in 1870.
That places South Africa 49th out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 1.1 years | — |
| 1880 | 1.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 1.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 1.1 years | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 1.12 years | +1.8% |
| 1925 | 1.67 years | +49.5% |
| 1929 | 1.88 years | +12.2% |
| 1933 | 2.14 years | +13.9% |
| 1938 | 2.36 years | +10.2% |
| 1950 | 3.13 years | +32.6% |
| 1955 | 3.63 years | +16.1% |
| 1960 | 3.95 years | +8.7% |
| 1965 | 4.36 years | +10.3% |
| 1970 | 4.86 years | +11.6% |
| 1975 | 5 years | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 5.2 years | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 4.73 years | -9.1% |
| 1990 | 5.83 years | +23.3% |
| 1995 | 7.59 years | +30.2% |
| 2000 | 7.44 years | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 7.95 years | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 8.53 years | +7.3% |
| 2015 | 10.33 years | +21.1% |
| 2020 | 11.37 years | +10.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1.1 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.12 years | 1.12 years | 1.12 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.78 years | 1.67 years | 1.88 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 2.25 years | 2.14 years | 2.36 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 3.38 years | 3.13 years | 3.63 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 4.15 years | 3.95 years | 4.36 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 4.93 years | 4.86 years | 5 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 4.96 years | 4.73 years | 5.2 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 6.71 years | 5.83 years | 7.59 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.7 years | 7.44 years | 7.95 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.43 years | 8.53 years | 10.33 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 11.37 years | 11.37 years | 11.37 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in South Africa?
- Average years of schooling in South Africa was 11.37 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.37 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1 years in 1870.
- How does South Africa rank for average years of schooling?
- South Africa ranks 49th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.