Average years of schooling vs. GDP per capita in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Average years of schooling vs. GDP per capita was 8.84 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Average years of schooling vs. GDP per capita in Costa Rica, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2023, average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita in Costa Rica stood at 8.84 years. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita in Costa Rica peaked at 8.84 years in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.81 years, in 1990.
That places Costa Rica 116th out of 192 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Average years of schooling vs. GDP per capita in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.81 years | — |
| 1991 | 6.9 years | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 6.99 years | +1.3% |
| 1993 | 7.08 years | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 7.17 years | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 7.26 years | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 7.32 years | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 7.38 years | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 7.44 years | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 7.5 years | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 7.56 years | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 7.66 years | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 7.76 years | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 7.86 years | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 7.96 years | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 8.05 years | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 8.03 years | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 8.01 years | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 8.29 years | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 8.36 years | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 8.23 years | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 8.35 years | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 8.41 years | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 8.58 years | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 8.75 years | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 8.58 years | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 8.56 years | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 8.64 years | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 8.72 years | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 8.76 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 8.8 years | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 8.84 years | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 8.84 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8.84 years | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7.19 years | 6.81 years | 7.5 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.95 years | 7.56 years | 8.36 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.56 years | 8.23 years | 8.76 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.83 years | 8.8 years | 8.84 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More education data for Costa Rica
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 464,490 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -3.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 43,058 (2024)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -1.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), gaps filled 235,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, female (number), annual growth rate -3.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), gaps filled 228,863 (2024)
- Enrolment in secondary education, male (number), annual growth rate -2.91 % change on previous year (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 123,741 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, both sexes (number), annual -5.22 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita in Costa Rica?
- Average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita in Costa Rica was 8.84 years in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 8.84 years in 2021.
- What is the lowest average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.81 years in 1990.
- How does Costa Rica rank for average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita?
- Costa Rica ranks 116th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average years of schooling vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average years of schooling vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average number of years (excluding years spent repeating individual grades) adults over 25 years participated in formal education.