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EducationMetrics.org | Schooling Years Indicator

Expected Years of Schooling by Country 2026: Data & Charts

Country-level expected years of schooling from the UNDP Human Development Report 2025 statistical update. The indicator reports the years of schooling a child of school entrance age can expect under current age-specific enrolment patterns.

Indicator: Expected years of schooling Latest source year: 2023 or most recent available Unit: years Main source: UNDP HDRO / UNdata Coverage: 195 countries and territories with reported EYS values

Expected Years of Schooling Statistics

Values are taken from the 2025 UNDP Human Development Index component table and refer to 2023 or the most recent year available in the source series.

World value
13.0 years
UNDP world aggregate, 2023/latest
Highest reported value
21.7
Monaco, reported in other countries or territories
Highest HDI-ranked country
20.8
Greece, 2023/latest
Lowest reported value
5.6
South Sudan, 2023/latest
Reported spread
16.1 years
Highest reported value minus lowest reported value
HDI group gap
7.5 years
Very high HDI group 16.4; low HDI group 8.9

Highest Reported Expected Years of Schooling

The chart ranks the highest reported country and territory values in the latest UNDP/UNdata table. The full source table remains available in the searchable country table.

Top reported expected years of schooling values

Years of schooling expected for a child entering school, 2023 or most recent available year

Some values above 18 years are shown as reported; UNDP caps expected years of schooling at 18 only when calculating the HDI value.

Chart analysis
  • Monaco has the highest reported value in the table at 21.7 years.
  • Among countries with HDI ranks, Greece reports the highest value at 20.8 years.
  • The top 20 reported values all exceed 17.5 years.
  • Several high-ranking entries carry the UNDP note that the value is capped at 18 years only for HDI calculation, not for the displayed component value.

Full Country Expected Years of Schooling Table

Search and sort the latest reported UNDP/UNdata country and territory values. The table keeps the source HDI rank where one is available.

Country or territory EYS years HDI rank HDI group Source year Source note
Iceland18.91Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Norway18.82Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Switzerland16.72Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Denmark18.74Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Germany17.35Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Sweden19.05Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Australia20.77Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Hong Kong, China (SAR)16.98Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Netherlands18.68Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Belgium19.010Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Ireland19.211Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Finland19.512Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Singapore16.713Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
United Kingdom17.813Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
United Arab Emirates15.615Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Canada15.916Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Liechtenstein15.417Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
New Zealand19.317Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
United States15.917Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Korea (Republic of)16.620Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Slovenia17.521Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Austria16.322Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Japan15.523Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Malta15.924Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Luxembourg14.425Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
France16.126Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Israel14.927Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Spain17.828Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Czechia16.829Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Italy16.729Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
San Marino14.629Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Andorra14.532Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Cyprus16.232Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Greece20.834Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Poland16.735Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Estonia16.036Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Saudi Arabia16.937Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bahrain15.938Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Lithuania16.539Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Portugal17.540Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Croatia16.341Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Latvia16.541Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Qatar13.143Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Slovakia14.944Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Chile16.945Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Hungary15.546Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Argentina18.847Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Montenegro15.548Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Uruguay17.548Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Oman13.450Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Turkiye19.851Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Kuwait15.952Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Antigua and Barbuda15.553Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Seychelles18.254Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bulgaria15.355Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Romania14.155Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Georgia16.857Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Saint Kitts and Nevis18.458Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Panama13.359Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Brunei Darussalam13.760Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Kazakhstan14.060Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Costa Rica16.362Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Serbia15.062Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Russian Federation13.264Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Belarus13.765Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bahamas11.966Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Malaysia12.767Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
North Macedonia14.868Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Armenia14.469Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Barbados16.669Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Albania14.571Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Trinidad and Tobago14.272Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Mauritius14.273Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bosnia and Herzegovina13.274Very high2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Iran (Islamic Republic of)14.075High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines16.376High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Thailand15.476High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
China15.578High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Peru14.979High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Grenada16.680High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Azerbaijan12.981High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Mexico14.581High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Colombia14.383High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Brazil15.884High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Palau14.184High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Moldova (Republic of)14.686High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Ukraine13.387High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Ecuador14.988High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Dominican Republic13.689High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Guyana13.089High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Sri Lanka13.189High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Tonga17.892High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Maldives12.893High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Viet Nam15.593High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Turkmenistan13.295High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Algeria15.596High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Cuba13.997High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Dominica14.298High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Paraguay14.099High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Egypt13.1100High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Jordan13.1100High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Lebanon11.7102High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Saint Lucia12.7103High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Mongolia13.6104High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Tunisia14.7105High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
South Africa13.8106High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Uzbekistan12.5107High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)15.6108High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Gabon12.5108High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Marshall Islands16.4108High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Botswana11.4111High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Fiji13.8111High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Indonesia13.3113High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Suriname11.0114High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Belize12.0115High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Libya12.9115High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Jamaica12.4117High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Kyrgyzstan12.7117High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Philippines12.8117High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Morocco15.1120High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)13.0121High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Samoa12.4122High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Nicaragua11.5123High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Nauru12.8124High2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bhutan13.2125Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Eswatini (Kingdom of)15.2126Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Iraq12.4126Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Tajikistan10.8128Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Tuvalu12.4129Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Bangladesh12.3130Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
India13.0130Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
El Salvador11.1132Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Equatorial Guinea12.5133Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Palestine, State of13.0133Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Cabo Verde11.4135Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Namibia11.8136Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Guatemala10.7137Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Congo12.7138Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Honduras10.2139Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Kiribati11.9140Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Sao Tome and Principe12.9141Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Timor-Leste13.3142Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Ghana11.4143Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Kenya11.5143Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Nepal13.8145Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Vanuatu11.8146Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Lao People’s Democratic Republic9.6147Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Angola12.2148Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Micronesia (Federated States of)11.5149Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Myanmar11.5150Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Cambodia11.2151Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Comoros13.3152Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Zimbabwe11.1153Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Zambia11.0154Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Cameroon10.8155Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Solomon Islands11.3156Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Cote d’Ivoire11.4157Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Uganda11.6157Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Rwanda12.6159Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Papua New Guinea11.5160Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Togo13.1161Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Syrian Arab Republic7.4162Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Mauritania7.9163Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Nigeria10.5164Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Tanzania (United Republic of)8.6165Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Haiti10.9166Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Lesotho11.0167Medium2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Pakistan7.9168Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Senegal9.1169Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Gambia9.0170Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Congo (Democratic Republic of the)10.9171Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Malawi9.9172Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Benin10.4173Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Guinea-Bissau10.6174Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Djibouti6.2175Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Sudan8.6176Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Liberia10.5177Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Eritrea7.3178Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Guinea10.4179Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Ethiopia9.2180Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Afghanistan10.8181Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Mozambique10.8182Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Madagascar9.1183Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Yemen7.5184Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Sierra Leone9.1185Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Burkina Faso8.7186Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Burundi9.8187Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Mali7.0188Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Niger8.3188Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Chad8.3190Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Central African Republic7.4191Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Somalia7.5192Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
South Sudan5.6193Low2023/latestHDR 2025 Table 1
Korea (Democratic People’s Rep. of)12.2not rankedOther countries or territories2023/latestEYS reported; HDI not calculated
Monaco21.7not rankedOther countries or territories2023/latestEYS reported; HDI not calculated
Table analysis
  • The table contains 195 countries and territories with reported expected years of schooling values.
  • 193 entries have an HDI rank in the 2025 UNDP statistical update.
  • Monaco reports the highest value at 21.7 years, while South Sudan reports the lowest value at 5.6 years.
  • The reported spread between the highest and lowest values is 16.1 years.
  • The source labels all displayed component values as 2023 or the most recent year available; exact national reference years can differ within the underlying HDRO source series.
  • Values above 18 years are not errors in the component table; the 18-year cap applies only to HDI index calculation.

Regional and HDI Group Benchmarks

UNDP publishes aggregate values for human development groups, developing regions, small island developing states, OECD members, developing countries, and the world.

Expected years of schooling by human development group

UNDP aggregate values, 2023/latest

Group aggregates are source aggregates from UNDP/UNdata, not averages recalculated from the country table.

Chart analysis
  • The very high human development group reports 16.4 years.
  • The low human development group reports 8.9 years.
  • The source group gap is 7.5 years.
Aggregate Type EYS years Source year Source
Very high human developmentHDI group16.42023/latestUNDP / UNdata
High human developmentHDI group14.62023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Medium human developmentHDI group12.12023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Low human developmentHDI group8.92023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Developing countriesDevelopment aggregate12.72023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Arab StatesDeveloping region12.02023/latestUNDP / UNdata
East Asia and the PacificDeveloping region14.62023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Europe and Central AsiaDeveloping region15.62023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Latin America and the CaribbeanDeveloping region14.82023/latestUNDP / UNdata
South AsiaDeveloping region12.12023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Sub-Saharan AfricaDeveloping region10.32023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Least developed countriesDevelopment aggregate10.22023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Small island developing statesDevelopment aggregate12.62023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentOECD aggregate16.52023/latestUNDP / UNdata
WorldWorld aggregate13.02023/latestUNDP / UNdata
Table analysis
  • The OECD aggregate is 16.5 years, slightly above the very high HDI group aggregate of 16.4 years.
  • Among developing regions, Europe and Central Asia reports the highest aggregate at 15.6 years.
  • Sub-Saharan Africa reports the lowest developing-region aggregate at 10.3 years.
  • The world aggregate is 13.0 years, matching the value shown in the country table for several individual entries.

Indicator Reading Notes

Expected years of schooling measures expected duration, not completion, learning outcomes, class size, school quality, or tertiary attainment.

Measure definition

UNDP defines expected years of schooling as the years a child of school entrance age can expect to receive if current age-specific enrolment patterns persist.

Reported values above 18

The component table can show values above 18 years. UNDP applies the 18-year cap only inside the HDI calculation.

Source-year variation

The 2025 statistical table labels the country component values as 2023 or most recent available. National survey and administrative reference years can differ.

Ranking scope

Sorting by the EYS column ranks countries and territories only by this indicator. It does not rank overall education systems.

Source and Methodology

Data source United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Indices statistical update 2025, via UNdata: Human Development Index and its components.
Source table Human Development Index and components, Table 1, expected years of schooling column.
Supporting documentation UNDP Human Development Reports documentation and downloads.
Indicator definition Number of years of schooling a child of school entrance age can expect to receive if prevailing age-specific enrolment rates continue.
Latest available source year 2023 or most recent year available in the UNDP source table.
Unit Years.
Coverage Countries and territories with a reported expected years of schooling value in the UNDP/UNdata table.
Missing data handling Entries without a reported EYS value are not included in the main country table. Countries without HDI ranks but with reported EYS values are marked as not ranked.
Rounding Values are shown to one decimal place, matching the source table display.
Calculation method No custom composite score is calculated. The reported spread is a page-level subtraction of the highest and lowest displayed EYS values.

The table uses the latest UNDP/UNdata component values available in the 2025 statistical update. HDI rank is retained only as a source context field; sorting the EYS column gives an indicator-specific order. Aggregate rows are official UNDP source aggregates and are not recalculated from the visible country rows.

Methodological Safety Note

Expected years of schooling is an enrolment-pattern indicator. It should not be read as a direct measure of learning quality, completion, labour-market outcomes, school resources, or policy performance. The 2026 title refers to the publication context; the displayed values use the latest available source year reported by UNDP.

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