Average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador
Ecuador: Average years of schooling among adults was 8.97 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador is 8.97 years, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador peaked at 9.11 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.75 years, in 1990.
Ecuador ranks 113th of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.75 years | — |
| 1991 | 6.81 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 6.86 years | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 6.92 years | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 6.98 years | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 7.04 years | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 7.09 years | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 7.15 years | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 7.21 years | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 7.26 years | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 7.32 years | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 7.38 years | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 7.43 years | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 7.49 years | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 7.55 years | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 7.61 years | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 7.66 years | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.72 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 7.73 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 7.74 years | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 7.85 years | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 7.91 years | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.1 years | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 8.29 years | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 8.36 years | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 8.7 years | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 8.69 years | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 8.77 years | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 8.79 years | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 8.8 years | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 8.82 years | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 9.11 years | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 8.97 years | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 8.97 years | +0.0% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 8.97 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.11 years, 89% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 8.97 years is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.68 years, 93% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.01 years | 6.75 years | 7.26 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.56 years | 7.32 years | 7.74 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.43 years | 7.85 years | 8.8 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.97 years | 8.82 years | 9.11 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More education data for Ecuador
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 93,535 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 5,078 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 288,731 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.79 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.72 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.72 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0951 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Ecuador was 8.97 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 9.11 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.75 years in 1990.
- How does Ecuador rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Ecuador ranks 113th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ecuador 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.