Average years of schooling among adults in Portugal
Portugal: Average years of schooling among adults was 9.7 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Portugal, 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 Portugal is 9.7 years, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Portugal peaked at 9.7 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 5.27 years, in 1990.
That places Portugal 99th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5.27 years | — |
| 1991 | 5.44 years | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 5.61 years | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 5.79 years | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 5.96 years | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 6.14 years | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 6.31 years | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 6.49 years | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 6.66 years | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 6.71 years | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 6.79 years | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 6.88 years | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 6.96 years | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 7.15 years | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 7.39 years | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 7.49 years | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 7.62 years | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 7.67 years | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 7.78 years | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 7.93 years | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 8.06 years | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 8.28 years | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 8.5 years | +2.7% |
| 2013 | 8.66 years | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 8.87 years | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 8.99 years | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 9.11 years | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 9.22 years | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 9.14 years | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 9.33 years | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 9.58 years | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 9.7 years | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 9.7 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9.7 years | +0.0% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 9.7 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.39 years, 78% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 9.7 years is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.34 years, 79% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.04 years | 5.27 years | 6.71 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.37 years | 6.79 years | 7.93 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.82 years | 8.06 years | 9.33 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.67 years | 9.58 years | 9.7 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More education data for Portugal
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 82,664 (2018)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 11,380 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 136,282 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 128,743 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 741,752 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 598,661 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0566 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Portugal?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Portugal was 9.7 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.27 years in 1990.
- How does Portugal rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Portugal ranks 99th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal 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.