Statizoid

School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years) by country

Number of years a person of school entrance age can expect to spend within the specified level of education. For a child of a certain age a, the school life expectancy is calculated as the sum of the age specific enrolment rates for the levels of education specified. The part of the enrolment that is not...

Countries reporting
194
Highest
9.1 years
Belgium
Lowest
0.3559 years
Somalia
Median
5.33 years
Years covered
51
1970–2020
Data points
6,439

What the numbers show

School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years) is currently reported for 194 countries. The highest value is 9.1 years in Belgium; the lowest is 0.3559 years in Somalia.

The median across all reporting countries is 5.33 years, and the mean is 5.23 years.

The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 26.

Over the past decade 150 countries rose and 36 fell. The largest increase was in Andorra (up 257.8%), and the largest decrease in Tuvalu (down 45.7%).

School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Belgium 9.1 years 2018 down 2.2% rising
2 Finland 8.8 years 2018 up 35.0% rising
3 Germany 8.64 years 2018 down 5.4% falling
4 Sweden 8.63 years 2018 up 41.6% rising
5 Lithuania 8.55 years 2018 up 0.9% rising
6 Oman 8.47 years 2019 up 41.6% volatile
7 Turkey 8.39 years 2018 up 58.2% rising
8 United Kingdom 8.22 years 2018 up 19.6% rising
9 Czechia 8.21 years 2018 up 11.4% rising
10 Hungary 8.2 years 2018 up 6.4% rising
11 Slovakia 8.17 years 2018 up 0.7% rising
12 Italy 8.08 years 2018 up 0.0% rising
13 Iceland 8.08 years 2018 up 5.9% rising
14 Croatia 8.07 years 2018 up 1.6% rising
15 Sri Lanka 8.06 years 2018 up 3.9% rising
16 Netherlands 8.02 years 2018 up 10.6% rising
17 New Zealand 7.98 years 2018 down 2.6% rising
18 Austria 7.86 years 2018 down 0.4% rising
19 Slovenia 7.86 years 2018 up 14.2% rising
20 Uzbekistan 7.77 years 2019 up 8.1% rising
23 Kazakhstan 7.7 years 2019 up 9.5% rising
24 Denmark 7.64 years 2018 up 5.8% rising
25 Australia 7.64 years 2018 — rising
26 Azerbaijan 7.62 years 2019 — rising
27 Serbia 7.56 years 2019 up 2.8% rising
28 Bulgaria 7.53 years 2018 up 5.7% rising
29 Spain 7.43 years 2018 up 11.4% rising
31 France 7.33 years 2018 down 1.1% rising
32 United States Virgin Islands 7.28 years 1997 up 15.1% rising
33 Uruguay 7.27 years 2018 up 36.3% rising
34 Russia 7.25 years 2018 up 15.8% flat
35 Belarus 7.22 years 2018 down 4.3% rising
36 Palestine 7.21 years 2019 up 3.2% rising
37 Montenegro 7.21 years 2019 down 7.6% falling
39 Portugal 7.15 years 2018 up 15.0% rising
40 Romania 7.13 years 2018 down 9.7% rising
41 United Arab Emirates 7.11 years 2017 — rising
42 Switzerland 7.11 years 2018 up 6.0% flat
43 Algeria 6.97 years 2011 up 68.9% rising
44 Norway 6.96 years 2018 up 2.0% rising
45 Tonga 6.95 years 2015 up 10.8% rising
46 Armenia 6.92 years 2019 down 1.7% rising
47 Kuwait 6.84 years 2015 down 10.0% rising
48 Costa Rica 6.8 years 2019 up 39.9% rising
49 Mauritius 6.8 years 2019 up 9.3% rising
50 Brazil 6.78 years 2011 down 13.8% falling
51 Estonia 6.78 years 2018 up 11.0% rising
52 Thailand 6.77 years 2019 up 39.3% volatile
53 Canada 6.77 years 2018 up 10.2% rising
54 Palau 6.74 years 2014 up 6.4% flat
55 Saudi Arabia 6.7 years 2019 up 15.7% rising
56 Ukraine 6.65 years 2014 down 4.3% flat
57 Kyrgyzstan 6.65 years 2019 up 9.3% falling
58 Albania 6.59 years 2019 up 9.9% falling
59 Poland 6.58 years 2018 up 13.5% rising
60 Samoa 6.57 years 2016 up 12.1% rising
61 Argentina 6.55 years 2017 up 17.4% rising
62 Tunisia 6.5 years 2016 up 7.0% rising
63 Latvia 6.49 years 2018 up 4.5% falling
64 Brunei 6.47 years 2019 down 5.6% rising
65 North Macedonia 6.45 years 2018 down 0.7% rising
66 Mexico 6.42 years 2018 up 21.3% rising
67 Israel 6.35 years 2018 up 1.5% rising
68 Hong Kong 6.33 years 2019 up 3.3% rising
69 Georgia 6.32 years 2019 up 11.5% falling
70 Fiji 6.3 years 2012 up 9.2% rising
71 Qatar 6.3 years 2010 up 14.8% rising
72 Greece 6.28 years 2018 up 8.0% rising
73 Tajikistan 6.2 years 2013 up 10.9% falling
74 Ecuador 6.11 years 2018 up 53.9% rising
75 Chile 6.06 years 2018 up 10.7% rising
76 Moldova 6.01 years 2019 down 2.4% flat
77 Cuba 5.99 years 2019 up 8.2% rising
78 Cyprus 5.98 years 2018 up 1.4% rising
79 Grenada 5.96 years 2018 down 1.3% rising
80 United States 5.95 years 2018 up 4.4% rising
81 Libya 5.87 years 2006 — rising
82 Macao 5.87 years 2019 up 21.1% rising
83 South Korea 5.87 years 2018 up 2.9% rising
84 Nauru 5.82 years 2019 up 47.2% rising
85 Colombia 5.82 years 2018 up 6.1% rising
86 Bahrain 5.79 years 2019 up 5.5% rising
87 Suriname 5.76 years 2018 up 18.2% rising
88 Aruba 5.56 years 2012 up 8.5% flat
89 Nepal 5.53 years 2019 up 52.6% rising
90 Antigua and Barbuda 5.52 years 2018 down 6.6% rising
91 Bolivia 5.46 years 2018 up 5.5% rising
92 Peru 5.44 years 2019 up 19.5% rising
93 Seychelles 5.43 years 2019 up 0.7% rising
94 San Marino 5.42 years 2019 down 24.5% rising
95 French Polynesia 5.41 years 1993 — rising
96 Bermuda 5.39 years 2015 down 2.3% rising
97 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.36 years 2018 down 2.1% rising
98 Egypt 5.36 years 2019 up 33.1% rising
99 Bhutan 5.36 years 2018 up 62.3% volatile
100 Saint Kitts and Nevis 5.35 years 2016 up 12.6% rising
101 Indonesia 5.35 years 2018 up 28.1% rising
102 Cape Verde 5.32 years 2018 up 4.7% volatile
103 Mongolia 5.31 years 2010 up 38.7% falling
104 Sao Tome and Principe 5.31 years 2017 up 122.1% rising
105 East Timor 5.3 years 2019 up 33.0% rising
106 China 5.29 years 2010 up 38.1% rising
107 Kiribati 5.22 years 2008 up 84.7% volatile
108 Belize 5.19 years 2019 up 15.2% rising
109 India 5.16 years 2019 up 24.4% rising
110 Iran 5.14 years 2017 down 6.0% rising
111 Barbados 5.13 years 2019 down 0.6% rising
112 Puerto Rico 5.12 years 2018 down 3.2% flat
113 Bangladesh 5.09 years 2019 up 46.3% rising
114 Philippines 5.06 years 2018 up 51.3% rising
115 Malaysia 5.03 years 2019 up 10.1% rising
116 Dominica 5.01 years 2019 up 7.6% rising
117 South Africa 4.99 years 2018 up 9.8% rising
118 Micronesia (country) 4.99 years 2005 — falling
119 Morocco 4.9 years 2019 up 33.9% rising
120 Dominican Republic 4.9 years 2019 up 0.4% rising
121 Guyana 4.9 years 2012 down 3.7% rising
122 Gibraltar 4.65 years 2019 up 37.9% rising
123 Laos 4.62 years 2019 up 67.8% volatile
124 Paraguay 4.61 years 2012 up 10.9% rising
125 Cayman Islands 4.6 years 2018 down 4.6% falling
126 Panama 4.59 years 2017 up 12.6% rising
127 Ghana 4.57 years 2019 up 31.0% rising
128 Saint Lucia 4.49 years 2019 down 5.3% rising
129 Togo 4.43 years 2017 up 39.3% rising
130 Venezuela 4.43 years 2017 up 10.7% rising
131 Cameroon 4.3 years 2016 up 160.9% rising
132 Eswatini 4.3 years 2016 up 39.0% rising
133 El Salvador 4.3 years 2018 up 6.1% rising
134 Lebanon 4.28 years 1985 up 44.4% rising
135 Trinidad and Tobago 4.28 years 2004 up 7.9% rising
136 Jamaica 4.24 years 2019 down 10.2% flat
137 Comoros 4.23 years 2018 up 37.3% volatile
138 Syria 4.18 years 2013 down 16.3% rising
139 Bahamas 4.16 years 2018 down 25.2% falling
140 Myanmar 4.11 years 2018 up 40.9% rising
141 Benin 4.1 years 2016 up 98.8% volatile
142 Vietnam 4.08 years 1998 up 66.9% rising
143 Maldives 4.07 years 2019 up 19.3% volatile
144 Botswana 4 years 2008 up 2.1% volatile
145 British Virgin Islands 3.92 years 2018 down 31.5% rising
146 Jordan 3.9 years 2019 down 24.0% rising
147 Marshall Islands 3.89 years 2019 down 16.2% flat
148 Cote d'Ivoire 3.87 years 2019 up 38.4% volatile
149 Turks and Caicos Islands 3.85 years 2018 down 15.8% rising
150 Vanuatu 3.84 years 2015 up 29.9% volatile
151 Djibouti 3.83 years 2020 up 55.7% volatile
152 Gabon 3.72 years 2002 up 36.9% rising
153 Nicaragua 3.71 years 2010 up 35.8% rising
154 Congo 3.68 years 2012 up 37.3% rising
155 Eritrea 3.52 years 2018 up 12.0% rising
156 Solomon Islands 3.52 years 2012 up 54.4% volatile
157 Andorra 3.46 years 1983 up 257.8% volatile
158 Kenya 3.46 years 2009 up 49.7% rising
159 Namibia 3.36 years 2007 up 20.4% rising
160 Honduras 3.33 years 2019 up 11.0% rising
161 Afghanistan 3.33 years 2018 up 45.1% volatile
162 Iraq 3.31 years 2007 up 41.6% rising
163 Senegal 3.24 years 2019 up 52.8% volatile
164 Zimbabwe 3.15 years 2013 up 31.4% volatile
165 Yemen 3.1 years 2016 up 11.3% flat
166 Lesotho 3.1 years 2017 up 43.3% volatile
167 Pakistan 3.1 years 2019 up 35.5% rising
168 Guatemala 3.07 years 2019 up 6.6% volatile
169 Burkina Faso 3.07 years 2019 up 111.8% volatile
170 Angola 3.04 years 2016 up 114.0% volatile
171 Gambia 3.01 years 2010 up 115.0% volatile
172 Sierra Leone 2.96 years 2017 up 24.9% volatile
173 Papua New Guinea 2.96 years 2016 — volatile
174 Tuvalu 2.92 years 2019 down 45.7% flat
175 Burundi 2.88 years 2019 up 89.7% volatile
176 Guinea 2.82 years 2014 up 56.4% volatile
177 Mauritania 2.82 years 2019 up 96.6% rising
178 Cambodia 2.77 years 2008 up 149.8% rising
179 Democratic Republic of Congo 2.77 years 2015 up 26.1% rising
180 Rwanda 2.72 years 2019 up 73.1% volatile
181 Liberia 2.62 years 2015 up 21.4% rising
182 Nigeria 2.53 years 2016 up 22.6% rising
183 Madagascar 2.49 years 2019 up 11.6% rising
184 Mali 2.42 years 2018 up 20.2% volatile
185 Sudan 2.41 years 2017 up 33.5% rising
186 Malawi 2.26 years 2019 up 12.9% rising
187 Ethiopia 2.11 years 2015 up 39.5% volatile
188 Tanzania 1.9 years 2019 down 0.1% volatile
189 Mozambique 1.89 years 2017 up 92.1% volatile
190 Equatorial Guinea 1.82 years 2005 up 7.6% rising
191 Guinea-Bissau 1.71 years 2006 up 70.9% volatile
192 Niger 1.69 years 2017 up 130.3% volatile
193 Uganda 1.53 years 2007 up 155.3% volatile
194 Chad 1.48 years 2019 down 8.2% volatile
195 Central African Republic 1.22 years 2017 up 23.1% rising
196 Haiti 1.08 years 1986 up 56.9% rising
197 Zambia 0.9967 years 1994 up 10.0% rising
198 Somalia 0.3559 years 2007 — volatile

About this data

Indicator
School life expectancy, secondary, both sexes (years)
Unit
years
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
198 places, 6,439 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Number of years a person of school entrance age can expect to spend within the specified level of education. For a child of a certain age a, the school life expectancy is calculated as the sum of the age specific enrolment rates for the levels of education specified. The part of the enrolment that is not distributed by age is divided by the school-age population for the level of education they are enrolled in, and multiplied by the duration of that level of education. The result is then added to the sum of the age-specific enrolment rates. A relatively high SLE indicates greater probability for children to spend more years in education and higher overall retention within the education system. It must be noted that the expected number of years does not necessarily coincide with the expected number of grades of education completed, because of repetition. Since school life expectancy is an average based on participation in different levels of education, the expected number of years of schooling may be pulled down by the magnitude of children who never go to school. Those children who are in school may benefit from many more years of education than the average.