Education Rankings by Country

The education level of a country's citizens is a key determinant of its economic prosperity. Higher education levels often lead to enhanced growth and development in a nation. However, comparing education systems across countries is challenging due to differences in teaching methods and resource availability. To address this, indexes have been developed to assess the education levels of citizens.

In our report, we utilize the 'Education Index', which is a part of the 'knowledge' component of the United Nations' Human Development Index. Currently we are leveraging the data from the 2022 Index. This index evaluates factors such as expected and actual years of schooling, and educational achievements at all levels. A country scores better on this index and ranks higher as it approaches a score of 1.

Our initial analysis of recent data on world education rankings reveals several trends:

• Nordic countries, including Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Finland, consistently score high on the education index, and are considered to have some of the best education systems in the world.
• Nations previously under Soviet influence, like Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, have made significant strides in improving their education systems.
• Economic powerhouses such as the UK, Australia, Canada, and the US have high rankings, yet disparities exist. For example, the US education ranking comes in 13th place, with a score of 0.883, and falls behind countries like Germany and New Zealand, in 2nd and 3rd place respectively.
• Developing and underdeveloped countries, mainly in African and South Asian regions, are at the lower end of the rankings.
• Asian nations display varying results. Countries like South Korea and Japan excel with their competitive education systems, while others, such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, face challenges due to political instability and limited resources.

Iceland has the best rated education in the world with an index score of 0.938. Following close behind is Germany, the second best education ranking with a score of 0.917. New Zealand is just a few percentage points behind with a score of 0.914, making it the 3rd best educated country.

Next, we have two Nordic countries, Norway and Denmark, ranking fourth and fifth respectively. Norway has an index score of 0.912, while Denmark scored 0.909. Another Nordic country, Finland, scored 0.907 and is in sixth place.

Switzerland, known for its high-quality education system, ranks seventh best with a score of 0.902. Holding the eighth best education system is the United Kingdom with a score of 0.901. Slovenia, too, ranks impressively with a score of 0.898, grabbing the ninth spot.

Lastly, Australia rounds out the top ten with a score of 0.896.

10 Countries with Best World Education Rank:

(Score of 1 is the highest possible score)

1. Iceland - 0.938

2. Germany - 0.917

3. New Zealand - 0.914

4. Norway - 0.912

5. Denmark - 0.909

6. Finland - 0.907

7. Switzerland - 0.902

8. United Kingdom - 0.901

9. Slovenia - 0.898

10. Australia - 0.896

To sort the data in the table, click on the column headers.

1. What country has the best education?

Iceland has the best rated education in the world with an Education Index score of 0.938.

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2. Where does the US rank in education?

The United States ranks 13th in education with an Education Index score of 0.883.

Year - 2022

Source - United Nation's Human Development Index

Methodology - The 'Education Index' is derived from the 'knowledge' component of the United Nations Human Development Index. This Education Index evaluates two main factors: expected and actual years of schooling and educational achievements at all levels. A country scores better on this index and ranks higher as it approaches a score of 1.