Expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Expenditure on primary education was 28.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica, 1980–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica is 28.7%, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica peaked at 47.3% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 1982.
That places Costa Rica 100th out of 149 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 25.8% | — |
| 1982 | 23.2% | -10.2% |
| 1983 | 24.3% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 36.6% | +51.1% |
| 1989 | 36.7% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 38.8% | +5.5% |
| 1996 | 40.6% | +4.7% |
| 1999 | 47.3% | +16.4% |
| 2000 | 46.5% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 42.8% | -8.1% |
| 2002 | 42.4% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 45.5% | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 39.4% | -13.3% |
| 2007 | 39.0% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 39.5% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 41.2% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 41.9% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 39.3% | -6.1% |
| 2012 | 39.1% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 36.6% | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 36.3% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 36.8% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 34.0% | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | -15.0% |
| 2018 | 28.7% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 29.3% | 23.2% | 36.7% | 5 |
| 1990s | 42.2% | 38.8% | 47.3% | 3 |
| 2000s | 42.0% | 39.0% | 46.5% | 8 |
| 2010s | 35.7% | 28.7% | 41.9% | 9 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
More education data for Costa Rica
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 37,015 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 14,772 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 62,694 (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica?
- Expenditure on primary education in Costa Rica was 28.7% in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on primary education recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 47.3% in 1999.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 1982.
- How does Costa Rica rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Costa Rica ranks 100th out of 149 countries with data for 2018.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Expenditure on primary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expenditure on primary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.