Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 221,811 in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2019)
221,811
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
93rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
225,832
in 2017
All-time low
15,473
in 1970
Years of data
29
1970–2019
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2019, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica stood at 221,811.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica peaked at 225,832 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 15,473, in 1970.
That places Costa Rica 93rd out of 200 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 15,473 | — |
| 1971 | 17,588 | +13.7% |
| 1972 | 19,627 | +11.6% |
| 1973 | 22,631 | +15.3% |
| 1978 | 52,542 | +132.2% |
| 1979 | 55,378 | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 55,593 | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 58,961 | +6.1% |
| 1982 | 58,974 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 58,927 | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 60,288 | +2.3% |
| 1985 | 63,771 | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 66,550 | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 71,585 | +7.6% |
| 1988 | 70,907 | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 74,682 | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 74,681 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 80,442 | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 88,324 | +9.8% |
| 2004 | 108,765 | +23.1% |
| 2011 | 194,933 | +79.2% |
| 2012 | 203,175 | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 205,247 | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 216,751 | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 217,841 | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 217,550 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 225,832 | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 217,101 | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 221,811 | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 30,540 | 15,473 | 55,378 | 6 |
| 1980s | 64,024 | 55,593 | 74,682 | 10 |
| 1990s | 81,149 | 74,681 | 88,324 | 3 |
| 2000s | 108,765 | 108,765 | 108,765 | 1 |
| 2010s | 213,360 | 194,933 | 225,832 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 90 Burkina Faso 225,902 compare
- 91 Paraguay 225,211 compare
- 92 Palestine, State of 223,977 compare
- 94 Mozambique 213,930 compare
- 95 Uruguay 202,346 compare
- 96 El Salvador 195,949 compare
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 enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Costa Rica was 221,811 in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 225,832 in 2017.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,473 in 1970.
- How does Costa Rica rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Costa Rica ranks 93rd out of 200 countries with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release