Average years of schooling among adults in Tonga
Tonga: Average years of schooling among adults was 10.91 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
10.91 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
71st
of 192 countries
All-time high
10.92 years
in 2011
All-time low
9.12 years
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average years of schooling among adults in Tonga, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Tonga recorded 10.91 years for average years of schooling among adults in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Tonga peaked at 10.92 years in 2011 and was at its lowest, 9.12 years, in 1990.
Tonga ranks 71st 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 Tonga, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.12 years | — |
| 1991 | 9.3 years | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 9.49 years | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 9.67 years | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 9.86 years | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 10.04 years | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 10.03 years | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 10.03 years | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 10.04 years | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 10.04 years | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 10.05 years | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 10.05 years | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 10.05 years | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 10.06 years | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 10.06 years | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 10.07 years | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 10.07 years | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 10.24 years | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 10.41 years | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 10.58 years | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 10.75 years | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 10.92 years | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 10.91 years | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 10.9 years | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 10.89 years | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 10.89 years | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 10.88 years | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 10.87 years | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 10.86 years | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 10.85 years | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 10.88 years | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 10.91 years | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 10.91 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 10.91 years | +0.0% |
Tonga compared with similar countries
- Tonga's 10.91 years is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.11 years, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Tonga's 10.91 years is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.43 years, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.76 years | 9.12 years | 10.04 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.16 years | 10.05 years | 10.58 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.87 years | 10.75 years | 10.92 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.91 years | 10.88 years | 10.91 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tonga
- 68 Malaysia 11.09 years compare
- 69 Azerbaijan 11.07 years compare
- 70 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.97 years compare
- 72 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10.85 years compare
- 73 Iran 10.85 years compare
- 74 Panama 10.83 years compare
More education data for Tonga
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1,086 (2015)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 20 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1,228 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1,164 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 16,132 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 15,644 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1502 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Tonga?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Tonga was 10.91 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 Tonga?
- The highest recorded value was 10.92 years in 2011.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Tonga?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.12 years in 1990.
- How does Tonga rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Tonga ranks 71st out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Tonga?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tonga 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.