Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Norway: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Norway is placed 41st of 171 countries on education & knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Upper Secondary Completion Rate 80.75 (2025); Out-of-School Rate, Primary 1.378 (2024).
Education & Knowledge
41st
of 171 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Norway on education & knowledge — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: How far a schooling system carries the young people who get through primary — the only key here that measures anything past childhood.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
80.75
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Norway: 80.75. Across the 164 countries in this edition, values run from 2.13 (South Sudan) to 99.27 (South Korea); the world median is 64.87.
- World median
- 64.87
- Best in Northern Europe
- 95.09 Ireland
- Land neighbours
- Finland 89.75 · Russia 91.4 · Sweden 89.13
Each grey tick is one of 164 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 4
Youth Literacy Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: Whether 15- to 24-year-olds can read and write — the only key here that tests what a schooling system produced, rather than how many passed through it or what it cost.
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
15–24 year-olds who can read and write (%)
Higher is better
UIS publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Norway, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 174 countries at their latest reading, values run from 36.7 (South Sudan) to 100 (Uzbekistan); the world median is 98.22.
- World median
- 98.22
- Best in Northern Europe
- 99.95 Estonia
- Land neighbours
- Russia 99.92
Each grey tick is one of 174 countries at its latest reading, 2014–2024.
Key 3 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: What a state chooses to spend on education, as a share of its economy — the input, where the other two keys measure reach.
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
UIS publishes no 2023 figure for Norway, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 123 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Somalia) to 16.39 (Kiribati); the world median is 3.709.
- World median
- 3.709
- Land neighbours
- Russia 4.165
Each grey tick is one of 123 countries in the 2023 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Out-of-School Rate, Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: Primary-age children who are not in school at all: the floor of an education system.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
1.378
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Norway: 1.378. Across the 121 countries in this edition, values run from 0.004 (United Arab Emirates) to 64.73 (South Sudan); the world median is 3.691.
- World median
- 3.691
- Best in Northern Europe
- 0.13 Lithuania
- Land neighbours
- Finland 1.766 · Sweden 0.57
Each grey tick is one of 121 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Norway is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
NorwayWorld median
Norway rose from 80.03 in 2000 to 80.75 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Norway World median 2025 80.75 64.9 2024 80.48 65.0 2023 80.21 64.2 2022 79.94 63.6 2021 79.68 62.9 2020 79.45 62.2 2019 79.14 61.5 2018 78.83 60.9 2017 78.48 60.5 2016 78.07 60.1 2015 77.66 58.9 2014 77.27 57.0 2013 76.81 54.7 2012 76.56 52.4 2011 76.53 50.9 2010 76.84 49.5 2009 77.30 48.5 2008 77.64 47.4 2007 77.91 46.2 2006 78.25 45.0 2005 78.52 43.8 2004 78.91 42.9 2003 79.22 41.6 2002 79.52 40.3 2001 79.78 39.0 2000 80.03 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
NorwayWorld median
Norway fell from 6.459 in 2000 to 5.432 in 2022; the world median went from 3.886 to 4.057.
Every year’s figures
Year Norway World median 2023 — 3.7092 2022 5.43 4.0570 2021 6.96 4.2611 2020 8.37 4.4056 2019 7.86 4.1407 2018 7.60 4.2159 2017 7.85 4.1401 2016 7.98 4.2342 2015 7.52 4.2386 2014 7.64 4.2005 2013 7.44 4.3493 2012 7.33 4.0348 2011 6.41 3.9987 2010 6.71 4.1396 2009 7.07 4.6638 2008 6.25 4.4226 2007 6.51 4.1717 2006 6.36 4.0593 2005 6.84 4.0557 2004 7.28 3.9745 2003 7.40 4.1595 2002 7.42 4.0173 2001 6.82 4.1002 2000 6.46 3.8861 Out-of-School Rate, Primary
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%) · lower is better
NorwayWorld median
Norway rose from 0.528 in 2001 to 1.378 in 2024; the world median went from 4.051 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Norway World median 2024 1.378 3.691 2023 1.312 3.393 2022 0.950 3.002 2021 0.940 3.330 2020 1.033 2.678 2019 0.832 2.758 2018 0.752 2.439 2017 0.651 2.907 2016 0.698 2.954 2015 0.532 3.052 2014 0.414 3.904 2013 0.263 3.413 2012 0.271 3.408 2011 0.195 3.626 2010 0.253 3.491 2009 0.182 3.577 2008 0.163 3.878 2007 0.312 4.029 2006 0.510 4.338 2005 0.614 4.571 2004 0.517 3.791 2003 0.578 4.412 2002 0.546 4.144 2001 0.528 4.051 2000 — 8.642
03In context
Norway beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 171 countries on education & knowledge, never a place within the region.
Norway and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 171 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | Upper Secondary Completion RateUpper secondary completion rate (%) | Youth Literacy Rate15–24 year-olds who can read and write (%) | Government Spending on EducationGovernment expenditure on education (% of GDP) | Out-of-School Rate, PrimaryOut-of-school rate, primary age (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sweden | 14th | 89.13 | — | — | 0.57 |
 Russia | 18th | 91.4 | 99.92 | 4.165 | — |
 Finland | 24th | 89.75 | — | — | 1.766 |
| Norway | 41st | 80.75 | — | — | 1.378 |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Northern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 171.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Norway in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Norway is ahead of the world, and behind
21 more statistics filed under education & knowledge, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median17
Statistics on which Norway does better than the middle country measured.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.957,451701.95No earlier reading
Norway: 7,451 · world median 701.95 · Researchers per million inhabitants (full-time equivalent). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.446 to 18,130; higher is better.
Position 7th of 145 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3418.7913.34No real change since 2013
Norway: 18.79 · world median 13.34 · Expected years of schooling. UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.635 to 21.69; higher is better.
Position 12th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.93313.129.933No real change since 2013
Norway: 13.12 · world median 9.933 · Mean years of schooling (adults 25+). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.412 to 14.3; higher is better.
Position 13th of 193 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.024.29434.02No earlier reading
Norway: 4.294 · world median 34.02 · 10-year-olds who cannot read and understand a simple text (%). World Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.331 to 98.5; lower is better.
Position 116th of 125 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tertiary Enrolment RatioUIS · 2024 · world median 52.7795.552.77▲ Improved since 2014
Norway: 95.5 · world median 52.77 · Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.566 to 141.86; higher is better.
Position 8th of 95 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
School Life ExpectancyUIS · 2024 · world median 14.5918.514.59No real change since 2014
Norway: 18.5 · world median 14.59 · School life expectancy, primary to tertiary (years). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.478 to 21.01; higher is better.
Position 7th of 77 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.94111.237.941No real change since 2010
Norway: 11.23 · world median 7.941 · Learning-adjusted years of school (0–14). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.207 to 12.81; higher is better.
Position 18th of 172 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9397.265.93▼ Worsened since 2014
Norway: 97.2 · world median 65.93 · Net enrolment rate, pre-primary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.779 to 99.85; higher is better.
Position 13th of 120 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.19116.2593.19No real change since 2014
Norway: 116.25 · world median 93.19 · Gross secondary enrolment ratio (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 19.87 to 158.55; higher is better.
Position 12th of 109 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32513.59414.32▲ Improved since 2010
Norway: 513.59 · world median 414.32 · Harmonized test score (TIMSS-equivalent points; 300 = minimum, 625 = advanced attainment). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 304.92 to 575.27; higher is better.
Position 22nd of 172 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4399.7897.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Norway: 99.78 · world median 97.43 · Primary completion rate (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 7.94 to 100; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 165 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.8540.619▲ Improved since 2015
Norway: 0.854 · world median 0.619 · Academic freedom index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.019 to 0.978; higher is better.
Position 33rd of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Research and Development SpendingUIS · 2023 · world median 0.8141.8510.814No real change since 2013
Norway: 1.851 · world median 0.814 · Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 6.346; higher is better.
Position 19th of 84 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 65.7681.9165.76▼ Worsened since 2013
Norway: 81.91 · world median 65.76 · Adults 25+ who completed upper secondary or higher (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.26 to 97.89; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 95 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
PISA Reading PerformanceOECD · 2022 · world median 440.35476.52440.35No real change since 2012
Norway: 476.52 · world median 440.35 · Mean reading score. OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 328.84 to 542.55; higher is better.
Position 25th of 79 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
PISA Mathematics PerformanceOECD · 2022 · world median 442.09468.45442.09▲ Improved since 2012
Norway: 468.45 · world median 442.09 · Mean mathematics score. OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 336.4 to 574.66; higher is better.
Position 32nd of 79 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
PISA Science PerformanceOECD · 2022 · world median 446.93478.23446.93▲ Improved since 2012
Norway: 478.23 · world median 446.93 · Mean science score. OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 347.1 to 561.43; higher is better.
Position 32nd of 79 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Behind the world median2
Statistics on which Norway does worse than the middle country measured.
Inbound Mobility Rate, TertiaryUIS · 2024 · world median 5.4944.2055.494▼ Worsened since 2014
Norway: 4.205 · world median 5.494 · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.12; higher is better.
Position 43rd of 75 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Government Funding per Primary StudentUIS · 2022 · world median 17.8115.9617.81▼ Worsened since 2012
Norway: 15.96 · world median 17.81 · Government funding per primary student (% of GDP per capita). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 3.771 to 34.57; higher is better.
Position 41st of 68 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end2
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1739.0538.17No earlier reading
Norway: 39.05 · world median 38.17 · Researchers who are women (% of headcount; 50 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.54.
Outbound Mobility Ratio, TertiaryUIS · 2023 · world median 5.2794.6055.279Moved since 2013
Norway: 4.605 · world median 5.279 · Outbound mobility ratio, tertiary (% of tertiary enrolment at home). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.333 to 1,724.
No current reading for Norway
Adult Literacy Rate, Government Spending on Education (last 2022) and Youth Literacy Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Education & Knowledge among Norway’s 16 topics
Education & Knowledge is Norway’s 14th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Democracy & Civil Liberties1st of 1983/3 keys
- Development & Human Capital2nd of 1963/3 keys
- Energy2nd of 1933/3 keys
- Governance & Institutions4th of 1944/4 keys
- Gender & Equality11th of 1834/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing13th of 2003/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience13th of 1923/3 keys
- Economy & Innovation14th of 1764/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality15th of 1592/2 keys
- Peace & Security29th of 1774/4 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 31st of 1824/4 keys
- Digital & Technologyjoint 39th of 1983/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture37th of 1754/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge41st of 1712/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade54th of 1473/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability120th of 1813/3 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 171, and the leaders Norway can most readily be measured against.
1
South KoreaEastern Asia
1st of 171 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
2
UzbekistanCentral Asia
2nd of 171 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
3
PolandEastern Europe
3rd of 171 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich) · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Europe
Poland3rd2/4 keysHighest in Northern Europe
Lithuania=4th2/4 keysThis page
Norway41st2/4 keys
Positions out of 171 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Norway on education & knowledge: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Norway rank on education & knowledge?
Norway is placed 41st of 171 countries on Education & Knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Upper Secondary Completion Rate and Out-of-School Rate, Primary). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Upper Secondary Completion Rate figure for Norway?
80.75 in 2025 (upper secondary completion rate (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 64.87.
What is the latest Out-of-School Rate, Primary figure for Norway?
1.378 in 2024 (out-of-school rate, primary age (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 3.691.
How does Norway compare with Russia on education & knowledge?
Russia is placed 18th of 171, and Norway 41st. Upper Secondary Completion Rate: Russia 91.4, Norway 80.75.
How have Norway’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 80.03 in 2000 to 80.75 in 2025; Government Spending on Education fell from 6.459 in 2000 to 5.432 in 2022; Out-of-School Rate, Primary rose from 0.528 in 2001 to 1.378 in 2024.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Norway?
No current reading is published for Norway on Adult Literacy Rate, Government Spending on Education and Youth Literacy Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Keep reading
Explore further
Norway, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions4th of 194
- Economy & Innovation14th of 176
- Work & Labour=31st of 182
- Health & Wellbeing13th of 200
- Development & Human Capital2nd of 196
- Environment & Sustainability120th of 181
- Gender & Equality11th of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties1st of 198
- Peace & Security29th of 177
- Risk & Resilience13th of 192
- Mobility & Trade54th of 147
- Food & Agriculture37th of 175
- Poverty & Inequality15th of 159
- Energy2nd of 193
- Digital & Technology=39th of 198
- The full Norway profile
Nearby, on education & knowledge
The key statistics, for every country
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
How much children actually learn is only partly covered. International test scores exist for a limited group of countries, and they are published here as context rather than used as a key, because a key must describe most of the world. Universities, research and adult literacy also appear as context.
How the Education & Knowledge standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 22 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2023 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 171 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- Upper Secondary Completion Rate — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Youth Literacy Rate — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Spending on Education — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Out-of-School Rate, Primary — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
The other 21 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Norway’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Norway (banner) — Ximonic , Simo Räsänen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Uzbekistan — Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
- Poland — Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich), CC BY 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Norway: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/norway/education