August 23, 2026 \. More for You.

Global literacy rates have improved significantly between 1975 and 2024: the global adult literacy rate (aged 15+) from 65% to 88%, and the global youth literacy rate (aged 18–24) from 75% to 93%.

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Eric's career includes extensive work in both public and corporate accounting with ...