Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador
El Salvador: Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes was 89.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador, 1992–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador is 89.8%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador peaked at 90.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 74.1%, in 1992.
El Salvador ranks 48th of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 74.1% | — |
| 2006 | 83.6% | +12.7% |
| 2007 | 82.0% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 84.0% | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 84.1% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 84.5% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 85.5% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 85.5% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 86.8% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 87.4% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 88.0% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 88.1% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 88.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 89.0% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 89.1% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 90.0% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 89.1% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 89.4% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 89.8% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 89.8% | -0.1% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 89.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.5%, 94% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 89.8% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 94.9%, 95% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74.1% | 74.1% | 74.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 83.4% | 82.0% | 84.1% | 4 |
| 2010s | 87.2% | 84.5% | 89.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.6% | 89.1% | 90.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 45 South Africa 91.2% compare
- 46 Thailand 91.1% compare
- 47 Lesotho 90.5% compare
- 49 Iran, Islamic Republic of 88.9% compare
- 50 Cape Verde 88.5% compare
- 51 Honduras 88.2% compare
More education data for El Salvador
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 17,715 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 21,853 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 100,826 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 100,758 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 417,193 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 594,860 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0939 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador?
- Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes in El Salvador was 89.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 90.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 74.1% in 1992.
- How does El Salvador rank for adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes?
- El Salvador ranks 48th out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult literacy rate, population 15+ years, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release