Using the estimates on school enrollment and population structure, we have constructed projections of educational attainment for the population, disaggregated by gender and age group (15–24, 25–64, and 15–64) for 146 countries from 2015 to 2040 at five-year intervals.

We first use the 2010 data on educational attainment by age group as benchmark figures to project the educational attainment of the population by age group for the next three decades. We then estimate the distribution of educational attainment for the younger population, aged 15-24, at the five-year intervals from 2015 to 2040 and then forward-extrapolate the estimates to construct the distribution of educational attainment for the older population groups. For the population structure, we use existing U.N. projections. For the detailed explanation of the estimation method, see Barro and Lee (2015, chapter 3).

Download the list of variables and countries in the dataset.

Full Dataset Education Attainment for Population Aged 15-64, 2015-2040

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Total population, aged 15-64.

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Female population, aged 15-64.

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Male population, aged 15-64.

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Education Attainment for Population Aged 15-24, 2015-2040

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Total population, aged 15-24.

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Female population, aged 15-24.

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Male population, aged 15-24.

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Education Attainment for Population Aged 25-64, 2015-2040

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Total population, aged 25-64.

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Female population, aged 25-64.

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Male population, aged 25-64.

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We have compiled all available enrollment ratios for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels for the 89 countries from 1820 to 1945 at five-year intervals using the various sources. Where necessary, the underlying data were applied to the nearest five-year date.

Available compendia (Banks and Wilson, 2013; Mitchell, 2003a, 2003b, 2003c; UNESCO, 1958, 1961, 1966; Benavot and Riddle, 1988; Lindert, 2004) provide historical enrollment statistics for many independent states and colonies. Additional historical statistics, especially those on female enrollment, are available from the US Bureau of Education’s Report of the Commissioner of Education (various years), Barnard (1854), and Monroe (1911). We have also compiled data from other sources, including national statistical publications. The historical estimates for 1820–1945 are combined with information from UNESCO publications since 1950 to get a full time series on enrollment ratios up to 2010.

Banks, A.S., & Wilson, K.A. 2013. Cross-national time-series data archive. Jerusalem: Databanks International. http://www.databanksinternational.com

Barnard, H. 1854. National education in Europe: being an account of the organization, administration, instruction and statistics of public schools of different grades in the principal states. New York: C.B. Norton

Benavot, A., & Riddle, P. 1988. The Expansion of Primary Education, 1870–1940: Trends and Issues. Sociology of Education, 61(3), 191–210.

Lindert, P. 2004. Growing public. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press

Mitchell, B. R. 2003a. International historical statistics: Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750–2000 (4th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mitchell, B. R. 2003b. International historical statistics: The Americas, 1750–2000 (5th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mitchell, B. R. 2003c. International historical statistics: Europe, 1750–2000 (5th ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan

Monroe, P. 1911. A cyclopedia of education. New York: The Macmillan Company

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 1958. World survey of education II: Primary education. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 1961. World survey of education III: Secondary education. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 1966. World survey of education IV: Tertiary education. Paris: UNESCO

U.S. Bureau of Education. Various years. Report of the commissioner of education. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office

We construct a complete data set of historical enrollment ratios, subdivided by education level and gender, for 89 countries from 1820 to 1945 at five-year intervals. The original historical data on school enrollments are compiled from various sources. See data sources.

We construct estimates for a significant number of missing cells, especially in the cases of developing countries or former colonies by using interpolation and extrapolation techniques as explained in details in Barro and Lee (2015, chapter 2) and Lee J. and H. Lee (2015). The historical estimates for 1820–1945 are combined with information from UNESCO publications since 1950 to get a full time series on enrollment ratios up to 2010.

Download the list of variables and countries in the dataset.

The figures for trend in schoolenrollments, disaggregated by education level and gender, for individual countries from 1820 to 2010 are also downloadable. Every marker in the figures indicates the availability of the original enrollment data for the specific year in the individual countries.

Full Dataset

Enrollment Ratios by Level, 1820-2010

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Total population

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Female population

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Male population

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Trends in Enrollments Ratios by Country

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PDF

By region and group

Enrollment Ratios

The full dataset on enrollments contains the following variables:

Education Attainment

The full dataset on estimated educational attainment contains the following variables:

By utilizing the estimates of historical enrollment ratios from the 1820–1945 period, as well as the available census data and estimates of educational attainment by age for the 1950–2010 period, we have constructed a complete data set of estimates of educational attainment for the total and female populations at the five-year intervals from 1870 to 1945 for 89 countries. For the detailed explanation of the estimation method, see Barro and Lee (2015, chapter 2).

Combining this data set with existing data from Barro and Lee (2013), the data set presents estimates of educate ional attainment, classified by age group (15–24, 25–64, and 15–64) and by gender, for 89 countries from 1870 to 2010 at five-year intervals.

Download the list of variables and countries in the dataset.

Full Dataset

Education Attainment for Population Aged 15-64, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 15-64.

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Female population, aged 15-64.

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Male population, aged 15-64.

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Education Attainment for Population Aged 15-24, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 15-24.

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Female population, aged 15-24.

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Male population, aged 15-24.

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Education Attainment for Population Aged 25-64, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 25-64.

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Female population, aged 25-64.

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Male population, aged 25-64.

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Trends in Educational Attainment by Country Average Years of Schooling for Population Aged 15-24, 1870-2010

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PDF

Average Years of Schooling for Population Aged 25-64, 1870-2010

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PDF

Complete Data Set

Stata

Enrollment Ratios by Level, 1820-2010

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Total population
Excel

Female population
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Male population
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Education Attainment for Population Aged 15-64, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 15-64.
Excel

Female population, aged 15-64.
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Male population, aged 15-64.
Excel

Education Attainment for Population Aged 15-24, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 15-24.
Excel

Female population, aged 15-24.
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Male population, aged 15-24.
Excel

Education Attainment for Population Aged 25-64, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 25-64.
Excel

Female population, aged 25-64.
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Male population, aged 25-64.
Excel

Human Capital Stock for Population Aged 15-64, 1870-2010

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Total population, aged 15-64.
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Female population, aged 15-64.
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Male population, aged 15-64.
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Trends in Enrollment Ratios and Educational Attainment by Country

Enrollment Ratios by Level, 1820-2010

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PDF

Average Years of Schooling for Population Aged 15-64, 1870-2010

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PDF

Average Years of Schooling for Population Aged 15-24, 1870-2010

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PDF

Average Years of Schooling for Population Aged 25-64, 1870-2010

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PDF