Countries With the Lowest Mean Years of Schooling
Every country with a figure for mean years of schooling, ranked from lowest to highest. The top three are Niger (1.41), Mali (1.63) and Somalia, Fed. Rep. (1.9). The middle country of the 193 has 9.93.
What this measures
Mean years of schooling, adults aged 25 and over. Source: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report Office. For this measure, higher is better.
The schooling adults actually completed, decades ago for most of them. Expected schooling looks ahead at children; this looks back at adults. It is the one to read for the education of the workforce rather than of children.
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 | Mean years of schooling | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niger | 1.41 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Mali | 1.63 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 3 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 1.9 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 4 | Burkina Faso | 2.27 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 5 | Chad | 2.33 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 2.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Guinea | 2.49 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Afghanistan | 2.51 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 9 | Senegal | 2.93 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Benin | 3.19 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 11 | Burundi | 3.47 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | Sierra Leone | 3.54 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Guinea-Bissau | 3.67 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Djibouti | 3.95 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 15 | Sudan | 3.96 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Central African Republic | 3.99 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 17 | Pakistan | 4.32 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 18 | Nepal | 4.5 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 19 | Mozambique | 4.59 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Madagascar | 4.59 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | Gambia, The | 4.67 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 22 | Mauritania | 4.85 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4.87 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Rwanda | 4.88 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 25 | Papua New Guinea | 4.96 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 26 | Eritrea | 5.09 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | Cambodia | 5.2 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 28 | Malawi | 5.24 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 29 | Haiti | 5.38 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 30 | Yemen, Rep. | 5.48 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 31 | South Sudan | 5.73 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Bhutan | 5.84 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 33 | Guatemala | 5.85 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 34 | Togo | 5.86 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 35 | Solomon Islands | 5.88 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 36 | Syrian Arab Republic | 5.94 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 37 | Angola | 5.96 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | Sao Tome and Principe | 5.99 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Comoros | 6.01 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 40 | Lao PDR | 6.06 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 41 | Tanzania | 6.07 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 42 | Cabo Verde | 6.09 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Liberia | 6.17 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 44 | Morocco | 6.2 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 45 | Timor-Leste | 6.23 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 46 | Uganda | 6.32 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 47 | Myanmar | 6.38 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 48 | Cameroon | 6.57 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 49 | Iraq | 6.78 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 50 | Bangladesh | 6.79 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 51 | India | 6.88 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 52 | Ghana | 7.11 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Vanuatu | 7.18 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Namibia | 7.27 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 55 | El Salvador | 7.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 56 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 7.33 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 57 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 7.38 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | Zambia | 7.4 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 59 | Maldives | 7.41 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 60 | Algeria | 7.42 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 61 | Honduras | 7.51 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Kuwait | 7.57 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 63 | Nigeria | 7.59 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Tunisia | 7.59 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 65 | Lesotho | 7.73 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Libya | 7.78 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 67 | China | 8.04 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 68 | Equatorial Guinea | 8.28 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 69 | Congo, Rep. | 8.32 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 70 | Brazil | 8.43 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 71 | Suriname | 8.43 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 72 | St. Lucia | 8.61 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 73 | Kenya | 8.62 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 74 | Eswatini | 8.69 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 75 | Indonesia | 8.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 76 | Guyana | 8.7 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 77 | Belize | 8.76 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 78 | Costa Rica | 8.84 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Paraguay | 8.93 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Zimbabwe | 8.93 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 81 | Ecuador | 8.97 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Viet Nam | 8.98 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 83 | Turkiye | 8.99 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | Colombia | 9.03 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Thailand | 9.04 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 86 | Kiribati | 9.13 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 87 | Brunei Darussalam | 9.28 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 88 | Mexico | 9.35 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 89 | Mongolia | 9.42 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 90 | Dominican Republic | 9.44 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 91 | Grenada | 9.45 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 92 | Naoero | 9.45 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 93 | Venezuela, RB | 9.68 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Gabon | 9.69 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 95 | Portugal | 9.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 96 | Barbados | 9.93 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 97 | Nicaragua | 9.93 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Jamaica | 9.96 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 99 | Philippines | 9.98 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 100 | Bolivia | 10 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | Mauritius | 10.1 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 102 | Dominica | 10.1 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 103 | West Bank and Gaza | 10.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 104 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 10.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 105 | Peru | 10.2 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 106 | Albania | 10.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 107 | North Macedonia | 10.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Jordan | 10.2 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 109 | Lebanon | 10.4 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 110 | Fiji | 10.4 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 111 | Botswana | 10.5 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Uruguay | 10.5 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 113 | Cuba | 10.6 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 114 | Spain | 10.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Tuvalu | 10.8 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 116 | Sri Lanka | 10.8 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 117 | Qatar | 10.8 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 118 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.8 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 119 | Italy | 10.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 120 | Panama | 10.8 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 121 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 10.8 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 122 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 10.8 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 123 | Tonga | 10.9 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 124 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 11 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | Azerbaijan | 11.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | Malaysia | 11.1 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 127 | Ukraine | 11.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | Bahrain | 11.1 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 129 | Argentina | 11.2 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Seychelles | 11.2 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Turkmenistan | 11.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 132 | Tajikistan | 11.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 133 | Chile | 11.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 134 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 11.3 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 135 | Samoa | 11.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 136 | Armenia | 11.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 137 | San Marino | 11.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 138 | Bulgaria | 11.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 139 | Romania | 11.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 140 | Greece | 11.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Saudi Arabia | 11.6 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 142 | Andorra | 11.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 143 | South Africa | 11.6 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Marshall Islands | 11.6 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 145 | Serbia | 11.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11.6 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 147 | Ireland | 11.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 148 | France | 11.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 149 | Moldova | 11.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 150 | Oman | 11.9 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 151 | Uzbekistan | 11.9 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 152 | Singapore | 12 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 153 | Kyrgyz Republic | 12.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Croatia | 12.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Hungary | 12.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Belarus | 12.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 12.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 158 | Austria | 12.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 159 | Liechtenstein | 12.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 160 | Russian Federation | 12.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Malta | 12.4 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 162 | Kazakhstan | 12.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Cyprus | 12.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 164 | Luxembourg | 12.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 165 | Netherlands | 12.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 166 | Japan | 12.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 167 | Belgium | 12.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Georgia | 12.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Korea, Rep. | 12.7 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 170 | Sweden | 12.7 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 171 | Montenegro | 12.8 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 172 | Bahamas, The | 12.8 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 173 | Australia | 12.9 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 174 | New Zealand | 12.9 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 175 | Slovenia | 13 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 176 | Czechia | 13 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 177 | Finland | 13 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 178 | United Arab Emirates | 13 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 179 | Denmark | 13 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 180 | Slovak Republic | 13.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 181 | Norway | 13.1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 182 | Poland | 13.2 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 183 | Palau | 13.3 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 184 | Latvia | 13.4 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 185 | United Kingdom | 13.5 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 186 | Israel | 13.5 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 187 | Estonia | 13.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 188 | Lithuania | 13.6 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 189 | Canada | 13.9 | 2023 | North America |
| 190 | Iceland | 13.9 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 191 | United States | 13.9 | 2023 | North America |
| 192 | Switzerland | 13.9 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 193 | Germany | 14.3 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
More on mean years of schooling
- Countries With the Highest Mean Years of Schooling
- Mean years of schooling by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Lowest PISA Maths
- Countries With the Lowest PISA Reading
- Countries With the Lowest PISA Science
- Countries With the Lowest Primary Completion
- Countries With the Lowest Expected Schooling
- Countries With the Lowest Education Spending
- Countries With the Lowest Primary Enrollment
- Countries With the Lowest 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.