Average years of schooling among adults in Philippines
Philippines: Average years of schooling among adults was 9.98 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Philippines, 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 Philippines is 9.98 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Philippines peaked at 9.98 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 7.18 years, in 1990.
Philippines ranks 95th 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 Philippines, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.18 years | — |
| 1991 | 7.22 years | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 7.26 years | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 7.3 years | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 7.34 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 7.38 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 7.41 years | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 7.45 years | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 7.49 years | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 7.53 years | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 7.57 years | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 7.84 years | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 8.11 years | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 8.37 years | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 8.64 years | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 8.66 years | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 8.68 years | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 8.69 years | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 8.71 years | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 8.81 years | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 8.91 years | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 8.99 years | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 9.07 years | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 9.15 years | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 8.91 years | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 8.66 years | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 8.42 years | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 8.18 years | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 8.57 years | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 8.97 years | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 8.89 years | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 9.43 years | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 9.98 years | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 9.98 years | +0.0% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's 9.98 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.11 years, 99% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Philippines's 9.98 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.43 years, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.36 years | 7.18 years | 7.53 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.41 years | 7.57 years | 8.81 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.78 years | 8.18 years | 9.15 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.57 years | 8.89 years | 9.98 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
More education data for Philippines
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 495,843 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 201,568 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.06 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 983,812 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 11.87 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 13.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.8345 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1128 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Philippines?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Philippines was 9.98 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 Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 9.98 years in 2022.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.18 years in 1990.
- How does Philippines rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Philippines ranks 95th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Philippines 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.