Average years of schooling in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Average years of schooling was 10.83 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Sri Lanka, 1870–2020
Source: Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2020, average years of schooling in Sri Lanka stood at 10.83 years.
The figure is up 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Sri Lanka peaked at 10.92 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.2618 years, in 1870.
That places Sri Lanka 62nd 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.2618 years | — |
| 1880 | 0.3923 years | +49.8% |
| 1890 | 0.6163 years | +57.1% |
| 1900 | 0.9 years | +46.0% |
| 1913 | 1.22 years | +36.0% |
| 1925 | 1.77 years | +44.3% |
| 1929 | 2.01 years | +14.0% |
| 1933 | 2.26 years | +12.4% |
| 1938 | 2.58 years | +13.8% |
| 1950 | 3.11 years | +20.8% |
| 1955 | 3.41 years | +9.5% |
| 1960 | 3.68 years | +8.1% |
| 1965 | 3.89 years | +5.5% |
| 1970 | 5.62 years | +44.5% |
| 1975 | 5.61 years | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 5.52 years | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 5.82 years | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 6.31 years | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 6.61 years | +4.8% |
| 2000 | 6.94 years | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 8.25 years | +18.8% |
| 2010 | 9.3 years | +12.7% |
| 2015 | 10.92 years | +17.4% |
| 2020 | 10.83 years | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.2618 years | 0.2618 years | 0.2618 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 0.3923 years | 0.3923 years | 0.3923 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 0.6163 years | 0.6163 years | 0.6163 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 0.9 years | 0.9 years | 0.9 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 1.22 years | 1.22 years | 1.22 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 1.89 years | 1.77 years | 2.01 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 2.42 years | 2.26 years | 2.58 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 3.26 years | 3.11 years | 3.41 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 3.78 years | 3.68 years | 3.89 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 5.61 years | 5.61 years | 5.62 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 5.67 years | 5.52 years | 5.82 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 6.46 years | 6.31 years | 6.61 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.59 years | 6.94 years | 8.25 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 10.11 years | 9.3 years | 10.92 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 10.83 years | 10.83 years | 10.83 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Sri Lanka?
- Average years of schooling in Sri Lanka was 10.83 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 10.92 years in 2015.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2618 years in 1870.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for average years of schooling?
- Sri Lanka ranks 62nd out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.