Average years of schooling among adults in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Average years of schooling among adults was 7.38 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, average years of schooling among adults in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 7.38 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 7.38 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3.52 years, in 1990.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 137th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.36 years | 3.52 years | 5.03 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.39 years | 5.14 years | 5.6 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.38 years | 5.64 years | 7.13 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.34 years | 7.21 years | 7.38 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More education data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 51.0% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 45.9% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 117.6% (2023)
- Primary education, teachers 561,172 (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 5.98 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 114.3% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Democratic Republic of Congo was 7.38 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 7.38 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.52 years in 1990.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 137th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling among adults. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.