South Africa Mean Years of Schooling 2020: 10.47 years

South Africa's mean years of schooling in 2020 is 10.47 years, up 3.2% from 2015. It ranks #57 of 146 countries.

Mean Years of Schooling indicates the average number of years of education received by people aged 25 and older.

South Africa•4 years of data (2005–2020)••Average years of schooling | Our World in Data•

Source (2020): Average years of schooling | Our World in Data

Historical Trend

Mean Years of Schooling over time

Year-by-Year Data
YearValueChange% ChangeActions
202010.47 years+0.32 years+3.15%
201510.15 years+0.26 years+2.63%
20109.89 years+1.03 years+11.63%
20058.86 years——

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa Mean Years of Schooling

What is South Africa's mean years of schooling in 2020?▾

South Africa's mean years of schooling is 10.47 years in 2020, according to Average years of schooling | Our World in Data.

Is South Africa's mean years of schooling increasing or decreasing?▾

South Africa's mean years of schooling rose by 3.2% from 2015 (10.15 years) to 2020 (10.47 years). Over the past decade (2010–2020) it rose by 5.9%.

How does South Africa rank for mean years of schooling?▾

In 2020, South Africa has the 57th highest mean years of schooling out of 146 countries with data.

What was South Africa's mean years of schooling in 2005?▾

In 2005, South Africa's mean years of schooling was 8.86 years. By 2020 it rose by 18.2%.

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