Average years of schooling among adults in Yemen
Yemen: Average years of schooling among adults was 5.48 years in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Average years of schooling among adults in Yemen, 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 Yemen stood at 5.48 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling among adults in Yemen peaked at 5.48 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.3231 years, in 1990.
Yemen ranks 164th of 192 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Average years of schooling among adults in Yemen, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.3231 years | — |
| 1991 | 0.4033 years | +24.8% |
| 1992 | 0.4836 years | +19.9% |
| 1993 | 0.5638 years | +16.6% |
| 1994 | 0.644 years | +14.2% |
| 1995 | 0.7242 years | +12.5% |
| 1996 | 0.8468 years | +16.9% |
| 1997 | 0.9694 years | +14.5% |
| 1998 | 1.09 years | +12.6% |
| 1999 | 1.21 years | +11.2% |
| 2000 | 1.34 years | +10.1% |
| 2001 | 1.48 years | +11.0% |
| 2002 | 1.63 years | +9.9% |
| 2003 | 1.78 years | +9.0% |
| 2004 | 1.93 years | +8.3% |
| 2005 | 2.07 years | +7.6% |
| 2006 | 2.24 years | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 2.4 years | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 2.57 years | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 2.73 years | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 2.9 years | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 3.12 years | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 3.34 years | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 3.57 years | +6.7% |
| 2014 | 3.79 years | +6.2% |
| 2015 | 4.01 years | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 4.18 years | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 4.34 years | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 4.51 years | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 4.67 years | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 4.84 years | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 5.05 years | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 5.27 years | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 5.48 years | +4.1% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 5.48 years is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.59 years, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 5.48 years is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 10.13 years, 54% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.7265 years | 0.3231 years | 1.21 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.02 years | 1.34 years | 2.73 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.84 years | 2.9 years | 4.67 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.16 years | 4.84 years | 5.48 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More education data for Yemen
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 229,234 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 19,507 (2016)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 16,813 (2016)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.92 million (2016)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.90 million (2016)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.15 % change on previous year (2013)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2016)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1215 units per person (2016)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling among adults in Yemen?
- Average years of schooling among adults in Yemen was 5.48 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 5.48 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling among adults recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3231 years in 1990.
- How does Yemen rank for average years of schooling among adults?
- Yemen ranks 164th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling among adults rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Yemen 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.