Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates: Average years of schooling was 12.69 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
12.69 years
World rank
23rd
of 162 countries
All-time high
12.69 years
in 2020
All-time low
0.1 years
in 1870
Years of data
24
1870–2020

Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates, 1870–2020

0510151870194520201870: 0.1 years1880: 0.1 years1890: 0.1 years1900: 0.1 years1913: 0.1 years1925: 0.118 years1929: 0.351 years1933: 0.444 years1938: 0.518 years1950: 0.79 years1955: 1.1 years1960: 1.5 years1965: 2.1 years1970: 2.5 years1975: 3 years1980: 3.9 years1985: 4.9 years1990: 6.1 years1995: 7.5 years2000: 8.4 years2005: 8.9 years2010: 9.1 years2015: 9.5 years2020: 12.7 years

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 United Arab Emirates is 12.69 years, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is up 40.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates peaked at 12.69 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.

That places United Arab Emirates 23rd out of 162 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates, year by year

Annual values for Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates, 1870 to 2020.
Year years Change
1870 0.1 years
1880 0.1 years +0.0%
1890 0.1 years +0.0%
1900 0.1 years +0.0%
1913 0.1 years +0.0%
1925 0.1185 years +18.5%
1929 0.3506 years +195.8%
1933 0.4444 years +26.8%
1938 0.5184 years +16.7%
1950 0.79 years +52.4%
1955 1.14 years +44.3%
1960 1.51 years +32.5%
1965 2.1 years +39.1%
1970 2.54 years +21.0%
1975 2.99 years +17.7%
1980 3.89 years +30.1%
1985 4.9 years +26.0%
1990 6.11 years +24.7%
1995 7.51 years +22.9%
2000 8.43 years +12.3%
2005 8.89 years +5.5%
2010 9.07 years +2.0%
2015 9.5 years +4.7%
2020 12.69 years +33.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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 0.1 years 0.1 years 0.1 years 1
1910s 0.1 years 0.1 years 0.1 years 1
1920s 0.2345 years 0.1185 years 0.3506 years 2
1930s 0.4814 years 0.4444 years 0.5184 years 2
1950s 0.965 years 0.79 years 1.14 years 2
1960s 1.81 years 1.51 years 2.1 years 2
1970s 2.77 years 2.54 years 2.99 years 2
1980s 4.4 years 3.89 years 4.9 years 2
1990s 6.81 years 6.11 years 7.51 years 2
2000s 8.66 years 8.43 years 8.89 years 2
2010s 9.29 years 9.07 years 9.5 years 2
2020s 12.69 years 12.69 years 12.69 years 1

Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates

  1. 20 Slovenia 12.8 years compare
  2. 21 Russian Federation 12.77 years compare
  3. 22 Australia 12.73 years compare
  4. 24 Bahamas 12.64 years compare
  5. 25 Sweden 12.61 years compare
  6. 26 Netherlands 12.58 years compare

See the full ranking of 163 places →

More education data for United Arab Emirates

All data for United Arab Emirates →

Frequently asked questions

What is average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates?
Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates was 12.69 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 United Arab Emirates?
The highest recorded value was 12.69 years in 2020.
What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in United Arab Emirates?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
How does United Arab Emirates rank for average years of schooling?
United Arab Emirates ranks 23rd out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
Is average years of schooling rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
Over the last ten years it is up 40.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Arab Emirates 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).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates. Statizoid, drawing on Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/years-of-schooling-prados-de-la-escosura/united-arab-emirates/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/stat/years-of-schooling-prados-de-la-escosura/united-arab-emirates/">Average years of schooling in United Arab Emirates</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Average years of schooling
Unit
years
Source
Leandro Prados de la Escosura (2021) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,421 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed

Average number of years of total schooling (primary, secondary, and tertiary) for the population aged 15 and over.