Costa Rica vs South Africa: Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or
Costa Rica
29.9%
in 2024
South Africa
32.1%
in 2024
Costa Rica rank
65th
South Africa rank
62nd
Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or over time
- Costa Rica
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32.1% against 29.9% in Costa Rica, a difference of 2.2%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Costa Rica's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 17 shared years of data; in 2001 it was Costa Rica ahead.
Costa Rica ranks 65th and South Africa ranks 62nd of 109 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Costa Rica averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Costa Rica | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.1% | 15.6% | 1.6% | Costa Rica |
| 2010s | 22.4% | 22.7% | 0.3% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 28.1% | 31.9% | 3.7% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or, Costa Rica or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 32.1% against 29.9% in Costa Rica as of 2024.
- What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or between Costa Rica and South Africa?
- 2.2%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and South Africa?
- 17 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2024.
- How do Costa Rica and South Africa rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or?
- Costa Rica ranks 65th and South Africa ranks 62nd of 109 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed upper secondary education or higher, population 25+ years, rural, female (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release