Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador
El Salvador: Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education was 86.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
86.0%
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
150th
of 190 countries
All-time high
94.8%
in 2003
All-time low
0.9%
in 1820
Years of data
50
1820–2024
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador, 1820–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador is 86.0%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador peaked at 94.8% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0.9%, in 1820.
That places El Salvador 150th out of 190 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 0.9% | — |
| 1825 | 1.1% | +27.3% |
| 1830 | 1.4% | +25.9% |
| 1835 | 1.8% | +26.2% |
| 1840 | 2.2% | +25.8% |
| 1845 | 2.8% | +25.9% |
| 1850 | 3.5% | +25.9% |
| 1855 | 4.5% | +25.4% |
| 1860 | 5.6% | +25.2% |
| 1865 | 7.0% | +24.8% |
| 1870 | 8.7% | +24.5% |
| 1875 | 10.7% | +23.8% |
| 1880 | 13.2% | +23.2% |
| 1885 | 16.1% | +22.4% |
| 1890 | 19.6% | +21.4% |
| 1895 | 18.5% | -5.6% |
| 1900 | 18.4% | -0.9% |
| 1905 | 18.2% | -0.9% |
| 1910 | 18.0% | -0.9% |
| 1915 | 17.9% | -0.9% |
| 1920 | 17.7% | -0.9% |
| 1925 | 17.5% | -1.0% |
| 1930 | 17.4% | -0.9% |
| 1935 | 23.5% | +35.4% |
| 1940 | 29.6% | +26.2% |
| 1945 | 35.8% | +20.7% |
| 1950 | 41.9% | +17.2% |
| 1955 | 48.7% | +16.1% |
| 1960 | 56.3% | +15.7% |
| 1965 | 60.0% | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 65.2% | +8.7% |
| 1975 | 67.4% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 67.4% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 78.5% | +16.4% |
| 1998 | 84.2% | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 87.9% | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 90.1% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 93.4% | +3.6% |
| 2003 | 94.8% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 94.6% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 93.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 93.1% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 89.1% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 89.9% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 87.4% | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 86.8% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 85.9% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 86.9% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 86.0% | -1.1% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 86.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 94.1%, 91% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 86.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 93.2%, 92% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 2 |
| 1830s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 2 |
| 1840s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 2 |
| 1850s | 4.0% | 3.5% | 4.5% | 2 |
| 1860s | 6.3% | 5.6% | 7.0% | 2 |
| 1870s | 9.7% | 8.7% | 10.7% | 2 |
| 1880s | 14.7% | 13.2% | 16.1% | 2 |
| 1890s | 19.1% | 18.5% | 19.6% | 2 |
| 1900s | 18.3% | 18.2% | 18.4% | 2 |
| 1910s | 17.9% | 17.9% | 18.0% | 2 |
| 1920s | 17.6% | 17.5% | 17.7% | 2 |
| 1930s | 20.4% | 17.4% | 23.5% | 2 |
| 1940s | 32.7% | 29.6% | 35.8% | 2 |
| 1950s | 45.3% | 41.9% | 48.7% | 2 |
| 1960s | 58.1% | 56.3% | 60.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 66.3% | 65.2% | 67.4% | 2 |
| 1980s | 73.0% | 67.4% | 78.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 84.2% | 84.2% | 84.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 91.5% | 87.9% | 94.8% | 4 |
| 2010s | 91.3% | 87.4% | 94.6% | 6 |
| 2020s | 86.3% | 85.9% | 86.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
More education data for El Salvador
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 85.98 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 84.74 (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador?
- Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education in El Salvador was 86.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 94.8% in 2003.
- What is the lowest gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.9% in 1820.
- How does El Salvador rank for gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education?
- El Salvador ranks 150th out of 190 countries with data for 2024.
- Is gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026); Lee and Lee (2016) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender gap in primary, secondary and tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of girls of primary school age (typically 6–11 years) who are enrolled in primary education.