Average years of schooling among adults in Malawi
Malawi: Average years of schooling among adults was 5.24 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Malawi, 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 Malawi stood at 5.24 years.
The figure is up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Malawi peaked at 5.29 years in 2015 and was at its lowest, 2.28 years, in 1990.
That places Malawi 166th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling among adults in Malawi, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.28 years | — |
| 1991 | 2.33 years | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 2.38 years | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 2.42 years | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 2.47 years | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 2.52 years | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 2.58 years | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 2.65 years | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 2.71 years | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 2.86 years | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 3.01 years | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 3.17 years | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 3.32 years | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 3.47 years | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 3.62 years | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 3.77 years | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 3.93 years | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 4.08 years | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 4.23 years | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 4.38 years | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 4.53 years | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 4.69 years | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 4.84 years | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 4.99 years | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 5.14 years | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 5.29 years | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 5.28 years | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 5.27 years | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 5.26 years | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 5.25 years | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 5.24 years | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 5.24 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 5.24 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 5.24 years | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 5.24 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.59 years, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 5.24 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.96 years, 88% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.52 years | 2.28 years | 2.86 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.7 years | 3.01 years | 4.38 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.06 years | 4.53 years | 5.29 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.24 years | 5.24 years | 5.24 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 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 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Malawi?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Malawi was 5.24 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 5.29 years in 2015.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.28 years in 1990.
- How does Malawi rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Malawi ranks 166th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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.