How much school can a child expect?

Click any country to see the number of years of schooling a child entering school today can expect to complete.

or click the map

Expected years of schooling

51220

No data

Global average

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Highest

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Lowest

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Overview

Expected years of schooling looks forward: how long a child starting school today is likely to stay in education. It ranges from under six years to over twenty. This map shows it for every country.

Key facts

A child in the highest-ranked countries can expect 18+ years of schooling.
In the lowest, under 6 years.
It is a forward-looking companion to mean years of schooling.

Common questions

What is expected years of schooling?

The number of years of education a child of school-entry age can expect to receive if current enrolment rates continue throughout their life.

How is it different from mean years of schooling?

Mean years measures the education adults already have; expected years projects how much today's children will get, so it reflects current schooling conditions.

Where does the data come from?

The UNDP Human Development Report, compiled via Our World in Data.

Sources & methodology

Data from UNDP (via Our World in Data), compiled via Our World in Data. Global figures are population-weighted across the countries that report this measure; countries without reliable recent data are shown as “no data”.

Last updated: 3 August 2026.