Average years of schooling among adults in Uruguay
Uruguay: Average years of schooling among adults was 10.54 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling among adults in Uruguay, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Uruguay recorded 10.54 years for average years of schooling among adults in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 23.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Uruguay peaked at 10.54 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 7.15 years, in 1990.
Uruguay ranks 82nd 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7.15 years | — |
| 1991 | 7.19 years | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 7.23 years | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 7.27 years | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 7.31 years | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 7.35 years | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 7.47 years | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 7.68 years | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 7.89 years | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 8.1 years | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 8.32 years | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 8.53 years | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 8.74 years | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 8.95 years | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 8.63 years | -3.5% |
| 2005 | 8.32 years | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 8 years | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 8.19 years | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 8.37 years | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 8.37 years | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 8.33 years | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 8.4 years | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.48 years | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 8.52 years | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 8.61 years | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 8.67 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 8.7 years | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 8.83 years | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 8.91 years | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 8.98 years | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 9.5 years | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 10.02 years | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 10.54 years | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 10.54 years | +0.0% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 10.54 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.39 years, 85% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 10.54 years is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9.68 years, 1.1× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.46 years | 7.15 years | 8.1 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.44 years | 8 years | 8.95 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.64 years | 8.33 years | 8.98 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.15 years | 9.5 years | 10.54 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More education data for Uruguay
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25,390 (2010)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 2,520 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 57,513 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 54,922 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 337,808 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 287,527 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.35 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0849 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Uruguay?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Uruguay was 10.54 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 Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 10.54 years in 2022.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.15 years in 1990.
- How does Uruguay rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Uruguay ranks 82nd out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.