Switzerland vs United States
Switzerland vs United States: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 10.9 years in Switzerland and 10.6 years in United States, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Switzerland, by 0.4 years, or 1.04 times that in United States.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Switzerland has been higher since 2018, when it overtook United States.
- In 2020, Switzerland ranked 26 and United States ranked 34 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Switzerland | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10.9 | 10.6 |
| 2018 | 11.1 | 10.8 |
| 2017 | 11.1 | 11.1 |
| 2010 | 11.2 | 10.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Switzerland vs United States
Health
- Life expectancySwitzerland: 84 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySwitzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySwitzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSwitzerland: 96.7% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionSwitzerland: 3.71% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateSwitzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSwitzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthSwitzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSwitzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSwitzerland: 85.7% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageSwitzerland: 42.3 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSwitzerland: 19.6% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateSwitzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSwitzerland: $93,330 in 2025United States: $67,950 in 2025
- GDP growthSwitzerland: 1.6% a year in 2025United States: 2.3% a year in 2025
- InflationSwitzerland: 0.2% a year in 2025United States: 2.7% a year in 2025
- Government debtSwitzerland: 40.1% of GDP in 2025United States: 124.4% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSwitzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSwitzerland: $7.15B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personSwitzerland: $849 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSwitzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSwitzerland: 20,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerSwitzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSwitzerland: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSwitzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSwitzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025