Average years of schooling in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Average years of schooling was 8.71 years in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling in Zimbabwe, 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 Zimbabwe stood at 8.71 years. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling in Zimbabwe peaked at 8.71 years in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1 years, in 1870.
Zimbabwe ranks 94th of 162 countries on this measure, 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| 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 | 0.2844 years | +184.4% |
| 1929 | 0.56 years | +96.9% |
| 1933 | 0.6366 years | +13.7% |
| 1938 | 1.04 years | +63.4% |
| 1950 | 2 years | +92.3% |
| 1955 | 2.21 years | +10.6% |
| 1960 | 2.49 years | +12.7% |
| 1965 | 2.78 years | +11.5% |
| 1970 | 3.32 years | +19.5% |
| 1975 | 3.69 years | +11.1% |
| 1980 | 4.06 years | +10.0% |
| 1985 | 4.87 years | +19.8% |
| 1990 | 5.96 years | +22.5% |
| 1995 | 6.96 years | +16.7% |
| 2000 | 7.26 years | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 7.76 years | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 7.92 years | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 7.73 years | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 8.71 years | +12.6% |
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 | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1910s | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 0.1 years | 1 |
| 1920s | 0.4222 years | 0.2844 years | 0.56 years | 2 |
| 1930s | 0.8383 years | 0.6366 years | 1.04 years | 2 |
| 1950s | 2.11 years | 2 years | 2.21 years | 2 |
| 1960s | 2.64 years | 2.49 years | 2.78 years | 2 |
| 1970s | 3.51 years | 3.32 years | 3.69 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 4.46 years | 4.06 years | 4.87 years | 2 |
| 1990s | 6.46 years | 5.96 years | 6.96 years | 2 |
| 2000s | 7.51 years | 7.26 years | 7.76 years | 2 |
| 2010s | 7.83 years | 7.73 years | 7.92 years | 2 |
| 2020s | 8.71 years | 8.71 years | 8.71 years | 1 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % 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 0.1767 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 2.94 million (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -0.4866 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling in Zimbabwe?
- Average years of schooling in Zimbabwe was 8.71 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 8.71 years in 2020.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 years in 1870.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for average years of schooling?
- Zimbabwe ranks 94th out of 162 countries with data for 2020.
- Is average years of schooling rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.