Which has higher average years of schooling, Costa Rica or Thailand?

Thailand, at 9.32 years against 9.12 years in Costa Rica as of 2020.

What is the difference in average years of schooling between Costa Rica and Thailand?

0.2 years, with Thailand ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and Thailand?

31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.

Where does this data come from?

Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Average years of schooling. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Costa Rica vs Thailand: Average years of schooling

Costa Rica

9.12 years

in 2020

Thailand

9.32 years

in 2020

Costa Rica rank

60th

Thailand rank

58th

Average years of schooling over time

Costa Rica
Thailand

How they compare

Thailand currently reports 9.32 years against 9.12 years in Costa Rica, a difference of 0.2 years.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Costa Rica ahead.

Costa Rica ranks 60th and Thailand ranks 58th of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Costa Rica averaged higher in 15 and Thailand in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Costa Rica	Thailand	Difference	Ahead
1870s	0.36 years	0.01 years	0.35 years	Costa Rica
1880s	0.535 years	0.01 years	0.525 years	Costa Rica
1890s	0.795 years	0.025 years	0.77 years	Costa Rica
1900s	1.73 years	0.12 years	1.6 years	Costa Rica
1910s	2.33 years	0.4 years	1.93 years	Costa Rica
1920s	2.85 years	0.555 years	2.29 years	Costa Rica
1930s	3.21 years	0.86 years	2.35 years	Costa Rica
1940s	3.53 years	1.46 years	2.07 years	Costa Rica
1950s	3.71 years	2.3 years	1.41 years	Costa Rica
1960s	4.09 years	2.54 years	1.55 years	Costa Rica
1970s	4.67 years	2.99 years	1.67 years	Costa Rica
1980s	6.57 years	4.17 years	2.4 years	Costa Rica
1990s	7.45 years	5.5 years	1.95 years	Costa Rica
2000s	8.24 years	6.78 years	1.46 years	Costa Rica
2010s	8.6 years	8.59 years	0.01 years	Costa Rica
2020s	9.12 years	9.32 years	0.2 years	Thailand

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher average years of schooling, Costa Rica or Thailand?: Thailand, at 9.32 years against 9.12 years in Costa Rica as of 2020.
What is the difference in average years of schooling between Costa Rica and Thailand?: 0.2 years, with Thailand ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Costa Rica and Thailand?: 31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Costa Rica and Thailand rank globally for average years of schooling?: Costa Rica ranks 60th and Thailand ranks 58th of 111 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Average years of schooling. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Costa Rica vs Thailand: Average years of schooling. Statizoid, drawing on Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/mean-years-of-schooling-long-run/costa-rica/thailand/

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About this data

Indicator: Average years of schooling
Unit: years
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Average years of formal education for individuals aged 15-64.