Average years of schooling among adults in Senegal
Senegal: Average years of schooling among adults was 2.93 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Senegal, 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 Senegal is 2.93 years, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Senegal peaked at 3 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1.38 years, in 2005.
That places Senegal 185th 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 Senegal, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2 years | — |
| 1991 | 1.97 years | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 1.95 years | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 1.92 years | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 1.9 years | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 1.87 years | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 1.84 years | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 1.81 years | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.78 years | -1.7% |
| 1999 | 1.75 years | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 1.72 years | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 1.65 years | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 1.58 years | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 1.51 years | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 1.45 years | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 1.38 years | -4.6% |
| 2006 | 1.54 years | +11.6% |
| 2007 | 1.71 years | +11.0% |
| 2008 | 1.88 years | +9.9% |
| 2009 | 2.05 years | +9.0% |
| 2010 | 2.22 years | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 2.39 years | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 2.58 years | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 2.78 years | +7.5% |
| 2014 | 2.66 years | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 2.53 years | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 2.89 years | +14.2% |
| 2017 | 2.83 years | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 3 years | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 2.84 years | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 2.89 years | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 2.93 years | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 2.93 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.93 years | +0.0% |
Senegal compared with similar countries
- Senegal's 2.93 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.79 years, 43% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Senegal's 2.93 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.96 years, 49% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.88 years | 1.75 years | 2 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.65 years | 1.38 years | 2.05 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.67 years | 2.22 years | 3 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.92 years | 2.89 years | 2.93 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
More education data for Senegal
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 55,703 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 64,252 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 162,919 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 181,550 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.28 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.35 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4401 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.127 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Senegal?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Senegal was 2.93 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 3 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.38 years in 2005.
- How does Senegal rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Senegal ranks 185th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Senegal 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.