Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa

South Africa: Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and was 10.68 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
10.68
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
49th
of 90 countries
All-time high
10.68
in 2020
All-time low
7.77
in 2003
Years of data
21
1995–2020

Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa, 1995–2020

02.557.5101995200720201995: 82000: 8.32001: 8.42002: 9.32003: 7.82004: 8.72005: 8.72006: 92007: 9.12008: 9.12009: 9.22010: 10.32011: 10.42013: 9.82014: 9.92015: 102016: 10.12017: 10.32018: 10.42019: 10.52020: 10.7

Source: World Bank.

Analysis

The most recent figure for average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa is 10.68, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.7% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa peaked at 10.68 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 7.77, in 2003.

South Africa ranks 49th of 90 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and above in South Africa, 1995 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1995 7.96
2000 8.29 +4.1%
2001 8.42 +1.6%
2002 9.28 +10.2%
2003 7.77 -16.3%
2004 8.71 +12.1%
2005 8.75 +0.5%
2006 9.01 +3.0%
2007 9.1 +1.0%
2008 9.13 +0.3%
2009 9.24 +1.3%
2010 10.28 +11.2%
2011 10.41 +1.3%
2013 9.85 -5.4%
2014 9.95 +1.0%
2015 9.97 +0.2%
2016 10.1 +1.3%
2017 10.31 +2.1%
2018 10.42 +1.1%
2019 10.5 +0.8%
2020 10.68 +1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 7.96 7.96 7.96 1
2000s 8.77 7.77 9.28 10
2010s 10.2 9.85 10.5 9
2020s 10.68 10.68 10.68 1

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 47 Malta 10.95 compare
  2. 48 Albania 10.79 compare
  3. 50 Palestine 10.64 compare
  4. 51 Jordan 10.4 compare
  5. 52 Uruguay 10.33 compare

See the full ranking of 90 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa?
Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa was 10.68 in 2020, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 10.68 in 2020.
What is the lowest average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 7.77 in 2003.
How does South Africa rank for average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and?
South Africa ranks 49th out of 90 countries with data for 2020.
Is average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and above. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and in South Africa. Statizoid. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/average-number-of-completed-years-in-formal-education-aged-25-and-above/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Average number of completed years in formal education, aged 25 and above
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
90 places, 1,228 data points, 1970–2021
Last refreshed