Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary was 53.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica, 1973–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica is 53.4%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 3.7% on the previous year and down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica peaked at 56.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 1973.
That places Costa Rica 92nd out of 131 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 16.4% | — |
| 2001 | 36.3% | +121.0% |
| 2002 | 37.6% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 38.8% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 38.9% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 39.9% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 40.6% | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 47.9% | +18.0% |
| 2008 | 50.0% | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 49.9% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 50.2% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 50.9% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 44.9% | -11.7% |
| 2014 | 54.9% | +22.2% |
| 2015 | 53.9% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 53.7% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 46.5% | -13.4% |
| 2018 | 55.5% | +19.4% |
| 2019 | 48.1% | -13.4% |
| 2020 | 56.2% | +16.9% |
| 2021 | 50.2% | -10.7% |
| 2022 | 51.3% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 51.5% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 53.4% | +3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 16.4% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 42.2% | 36.3% | 50.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 50.8% | 44.9% | 55.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.5% | 50.2% | 56.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More education data for Costa Rica
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 61,047 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 464,490 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 460,126 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -3.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0897 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 460,126 (2024)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth -3.03 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica?
- Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary in Costa Rica was 53.4% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 56.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 1973.
- How does Costa Rica rank for educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary?
- Costa Rica ranks 92nd out of 131 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed lower secondary education.