Countries With the Highest Expected Schooling
Every country with a figure for expected schooling, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Monaco (21.7), Greece (20.8) and Australia (20.7). The middle country of the 195 has 13.3.
What this measures
Expected years of schooling. Source: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report Office. For this measure, higher is better.
The years a child starting school today can expect to spend in it, if current enrolment rates hold. It is a forecast built from the same UNESCO enrolment figures the site already has, so it moves with them.
This measure mostly follows how rich a country is, so this ranking is close to a ranking by national income. Each country’s page also ranks it against countries with similar incomes, which is often the fairer comparison.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2023–2023. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Expected schooling | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monaco | 21.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 2 | Greece | 20.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Australia | 20.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 4 | Turkiye | 19.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Finland | 19.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 6 | New Zealand | 19.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 7 | Ireland | 19.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Belgium | 19 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | Sweden | 19 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Iceland | 18.9 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Argentina | 18.8 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 12 | Norway | 18.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Denmark | 18.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Netherlands | 18.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 18.4 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 16 | Seychelles | 18.2 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 17 | Spain | 17.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | United Kingdom | 17.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Tonga | 17.8 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 20 | Portugal | 17.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 21 | Uruguay | 17.5 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 22 | Slovenia | 17.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Germany | 17.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Saudi Arabia | 16.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 25 | Chile | 16.9 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 26 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 16.9 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 27 | Czechia | 16.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | Georgia | 16.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | Singapore | 16.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 30 | Italy | 16.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Poland | 16.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Switzerland | 16.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 33 | Barbados | 16.6 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 34 | Korea, Rep. | 16.6 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 35 | Grenada | 16.6 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 36 | Latvia | 16.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | Lithuania | 16.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 38 | Marshall Islands | 16.4 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 39 | Costa Rica | 16.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 40 | Croatia | 16.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Austria | 16.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 16.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 43 | Cyprus | 16.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | France | 16.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 45 | Estonia | 16 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Bahrain | 15.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | United States | 15.9 | 2023 | North America |
| 48 | Malta | 15.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 49 | Kuwait | 15.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 50 | Canada | 15.9 | 2023 | North America |
| 51 | Brazil | 15.8 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 52 | Bolivia | 15.6 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 53 | United Arab Emirates | 15.6 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 54 | Montenegro | 15.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Japan | 15.5 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 56 | Antigua and Barbuda | 15.5 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 57 | Algeria | 15.5 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 58 | China | 15.5 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 59 | Hungary | 15.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 60 | Viet Nam | 15.5 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 61 | Liechtenstein | 15.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 62 | Thailand | 15.4 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 63 | Bulgaria | 15.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 64 | Eswatini | 15.2 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Morocco | 15.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 66 | Serbia | 15 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 67 | Slovak Republic | 14.9 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 68 | Israel | 14.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 69 | Peru | 14.9 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 70 | Ecuador | 14.9 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 71 | North Macedonia | 14.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Tunisia | 14.7 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 73 | Moldova | 14.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 74 | San Marino | 14.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Andorra | 14.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 76 | Albania | 14.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 77 | Mexico | 14.5 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 78 | Armenia | 14.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 79 | Luxembourg | 14.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 80 | Colombia | 14.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 81 | Trinidad and Tobago | 14.2 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Mauritius | 14.2 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Dominica | 14.2 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 84 | Palau | 14.1 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 85 | Romania | 14.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 86 | Kazakhstan | 14 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 87 | Paraguay | 14 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 88 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 14 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 89 | Cuba | 13.9 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Fiji | 13.8 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | South Africa | 13.8 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 92 | Nepal | 13.8 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 93 | Belarus | 13.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 94 | Brunei Darussalam | 13.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 95 | Mongolia | 13.6 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Dominican Republic | 13.6 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 97 | Oman | 13.4 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 98 | Indonesia | 13.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 99 | Ukraine | 13.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 100 | Panama | 13.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | Comoros | 13.3 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 102 | Timor-Leste | 13.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 103 | Turkmenistan | 13.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 104 | Russian Federation | 13.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 105 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Bhutan | 13.2 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 107 | Qatar | 13.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 108 | Sri Lanka | 13.1 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 109 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 13.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 110 | Jordan | 13.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 111 | Togo | 13.1 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Guyana | 13 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 113 | West Bank and Gaza | 13 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 114 | Venezuela, RB | 13 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 115 | India | 13 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 116 | Libya | 12.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 117 | Azerbaijan | 12.9 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 118 | Sao Tome and Principe | 12.9 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 119 | Naoero | 12.8 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 120 | Philippines | 12.8 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 121 | Maldives | 12.8 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 122 | St. Lucia | 12.7 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 123 | Kyrgyz Republic | 12.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 124 | Congo, Rep. | 12.7 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Malaysia | 12.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 126 | Rwanda | 12.6 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Equatorial Guinea | 12.5 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Gabon | 12.5 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 129 | Uzbekistan | 12.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 130 | Samoa | 12.4 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 131 | Jamaica | 12.4 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 132 | Tuvalu | 12.4 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 133 | Iraq | 12.4 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Bangladesh | 12.3 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 135 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 12.2 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 136 | Angola | 12.2 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Belize | 12 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 138 | Bahamas, The | 11.9 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 139 | Kiribati | 11.9 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 140 | Vanuatu | 11.8 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 141 | Namibia | 11.8 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Lebanon | 11.7 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 143 | Uganda | 11.6 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 11.5 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 145 | Papua New Guinea | 11.5 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 146 | Nicaragua | 11.5 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 147 | Myanmar | 11.5 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 148 | Kenya | 11.5 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Botswana | 11.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Ghana | 11.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Cote d'Ivoire | 11.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 152 | Cabo Verde | 11.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 153 | Solomon Islands | 11.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 154 | Cambodia | 11.2 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 155 | El Salvador | 11.1 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 156 | Zimbabwe | 11.1 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Zambia | 11 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 158 | Lesotho | 11 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Suriname | 11 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 160 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 10.9 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 161 | Haiti | 10.9 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 162 | Tajikistan | 10.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Mozambique | 10.8 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 164 | Cameroon | 10.8 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 165 | Afghanistan | 10.8 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 166 | Guatemala | 10.7 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 167 | Guinea-Bissau | 10.6 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 168 | Nigeria | 10.5 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 169 | Liberia | 10.5 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 170 | Benin | 10.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 171 | Guinea | 10.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 172 | Honduras | 10.2 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 173 | Malawi | 9.9 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 174 | Burundi | 9.83 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 175 | Lao PDR | 9.61 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 176 | Ethiopia | 9.22 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 177 | Senegal | 9.14 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 178 | Sierra Leone | 9.06 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 179 | Madagascar | 9.06 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 180 | Gambia, The | 8.98 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 181 | Burkina Faso | 8.73 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 182 | Sudan | 8.62 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 183 | Tanzania | 8.59 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 184 | Chad | 8.35 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 185 | Niger | 8.31 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 186 | Mauritania | 7.95 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 187 | Pakistan | 7.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 188 | Yemen, Rep. | 7.49 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 189 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 7.49 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 190 | Central African Republic | 7.44 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 191 | Syrian Arab Republic | 7.42 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 192 | Eritrea | 7.34 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 193 | Mali | 7.01 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 194 | Djibouti | 6.21 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 195 | South Sudan | 5.63 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
More on expected schooling
- Countries With the Lowest Expected Schooling
- Expected schooling by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest PISA Maths
- Countries With the Highest PISA Reading
- Countries With the Highest PISA Science
- Countries With the Highest Primary Completion
- Countries With the Highest Mean Years of Schooling
- Countries With the Highest Education Spending
- Countries With the Highest Primary Enrollment
- Countries With the Highest Secondary Enrollment
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.