Average years of schooling among adults in Malta
Malta: Average years of schooling among adults was 12.42 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Malta, 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 Malta is 12.42 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Malta peaked at 12.42 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.46 years, in 1990.
That places Malta 33rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling among adults in Malta, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.46 years | — |
| 1991 | 6.57 years | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 6.68 years | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 6.79 years | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 6.9 years | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 7.01 years | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 7.1 years | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 7.19 years | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 7.29 years | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 7.38 years | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 7.47 years | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 7.93 years | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 8.39 years | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 8.86 years | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 9.32 years | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 9.78 years | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 9.82 years | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 9.86 years | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 10.01 years | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 10.16 years | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 10.31 years | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 10.47 years | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 10.8 years | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 11.03 years | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 11.13 years | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 11.21 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 11.29 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 11.56 years | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 11.84 years | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 12.03 years | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 12.21 years | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 12.42 years | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 12.42 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12.42 years | +0.0% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 12.42 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 12.39 years, 1.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Malta's 12.42 years is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10.13 years, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.94 years | 6.46 years | 7.38 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.16 years | 7.47 years | 10.16 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.17 years | 10.31 years | 12.03 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.37 years | 12.21 years | 12.42 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 30 Luxembourg 12.59 years compare
- 31 Cyprus 12.56 years compare
- 32 Kazakhstan 12.55 years compare
- 34 Russia 12.41 years compare
- 35 Liechtenstein 12.41 years compare
- 36 Austria 12.36 years compare
More education data for Malta
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4,664 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 70 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4,949 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4,626 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 32,424 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 27,337 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.1 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0495 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Malta?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Malta was 12.42 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 12.42 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.46 years in 1990.
- How does Malta rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Malta ranks 33rd out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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.