Average years of schooling in Uruguay
Uruguay: Average years of schooling was 8.98 years in 2020. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling in Uruguay, 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 Uruguay stood at 8.98 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Uruguay peaked at 8.98 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.61 years, in 1870.
Uruguay ranks 86th of 162 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Average years of schooling in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 1.61 years | — |
| 1880 | 1.77 years | +9.9% |
| 1890 | 1.94 years | +9.6% |
| 1900 | 2.23 years | +14.9% |
| 1913 | 2.5 years | +12.1% |
| 1925 | 3.09 years | +23.7% |
| 1929 | 3.37 years | +8.9% |
| 1933 | 3.56 years | +5.7% |
| 1938 | 3.86 years | +8.4% |
| 1950 | 4.91 years | +27.1% |
| 1955 | 5.2 years | +5.9% |
| 1960 | 5.5 years | +5.8% |
| 1965 | 5.72 years | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 6.12 years | +7.1% |
| 1975 | 6.48 years | +5.8% |
| 1980 | 6.92 years | +6.8% |
| 1985 | 7.5 years | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 7.73 years | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 7.85 years | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 8.37 years | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 8.37 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 8.71 years | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 8.58 years | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 8.98 years | +4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 1.61 years | 1.61 years | 1.61 years | 1 |
| 1880s | 1.77 years | 1.77 years | 1.77 years | 1 |
| 1890s | 1.94 years | 1.94 years | 1.94 years | 1 |
| 1900s | 2.23 years | 2.23 years | 2.23 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 2.5 years | 2.5 years | 2.5 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 3.23 years | 3.09 years | 3.37 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 3.71 years | 3.56 years | 3.86 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 5.05 years | 4.91 years | 5.2 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 5.61 years | 5.5 years | 5.72 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 6.3 years | 6.12 years | 6.48 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 7.21 years | 6.92 years | 7.5 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 7.79 years | 7.73 years | 7.85 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.37 years | 8.37 years | 8.37 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 8.64 years | 8.58 years | 8.71 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 8.98 years | 8.98 years | 8.98 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More education data for Uruguay
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 54,922 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 337,808 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 287,527 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.35 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0849 units per person (2023)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 287,527 (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -1.35 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Uruguay?
- Average years of schooling in Uruguay was 8.98 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 8.98 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.61 years in 1870.
- How does Uruguay rank for average years of schooling?
- Uruguay ranks 86th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.