Average years of schooling among adults in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Average years of schooling among adults was 4.96 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Papua New Guinea, 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 Papua New Guinea is 4.96 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Papua New Guinea peaked at 4.96 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.39 years, in 1990.
That places Papua New Guinea 169th 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 Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.39 years | — |
| 1991 | 2.52 years | +5.2% |
| 1992 | 2.64 years | +4.9% |
| 1993 | 2.77 years | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 2.89 years | +4.5% |
| 1995 | 3.01 years | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 3.08 years | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 3.15 years | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 3.22 years | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 3.29 years | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 3.36 years | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 3.42 years | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 3.48 years | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 3.54 years | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 3.6 years | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 3.66 years | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 3.75 years | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 3.83 years | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 3.91 years | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 3.99 years | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 4.08 years | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 4.21 years | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 4.34 years | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 4.47 years | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 4.6 years | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 4.73 years | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 4.77 years | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 4.81 years | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 4.85 years | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 4.89 years | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 4.93 years | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 4.96 years | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 4.96 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.96 years | +0.0% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 4.96 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.79 years, 73% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 4.96 years is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.43 years, 53% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.9 years | 2.39 years | 3.29 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.66 years | 3.36 years | 3.99 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.57 years | 4.08 years | 4.89 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.96 years | 4.93 years | 4.96 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More education data for Papua New Guinea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,791 (2016)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 80,915 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 226,545 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 208,353 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 655,030 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.65 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 10.31 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1593 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Papua New Guinea?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Papua New Guinea was 4.96 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.96 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.39 years in 1990.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 169th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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.