Average years of schooling among adults in Turkey
Turkey: Average years of schooling among adults was 8.99 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Turkey, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, average years of schooling among adults in Turkey stood at 8.99 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Turkey peaked at 8.99 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 4.46 years, in 1990.
Turkey ranks 111th 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 Turkey, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4.46 years | — |
| 1991 | 4.51 years | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 4.57 years | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 4.62 years | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 4.68 years | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 4.73 years | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 4.88 years | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 5.02 years | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 5.16 years | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 5.31 years | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 5.45 years | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 5.55 years | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 5.66 years | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 5.76 years | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 5.86 years | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 5.97 years | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 6.06 years | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 6.14 years | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 6.4 years | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 6.57 years | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 7.09 years | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 7.36 years | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 7.49 years | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 7.63 years | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 7.8 years | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 7.96 years | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 8.1 years | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 8.27 years | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 8.45 years | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.63 years | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 8.81 years | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 8.99 years | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 8.99 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8.99 years | +0.0% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's 8.99 years is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.11 years, 89% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Turkey's 8.99 years is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.34 years, 73% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.79 years | 4.46 years | 5.31 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.94 years | 5.45 years | 6.57 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.88 years | 7.09 years | 8.63 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.94 years | 8.81 years | 8.99 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
More education data for Turkey
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 788,294 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 184,302 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.05 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 980,973 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 12.31 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.87 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0649 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Turkey?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Turkey was 8.99 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 Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 8.99 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.46 years in 1990.
- How does Turkey rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Turkey ranks 111th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Turkey 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.