Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of was 50.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
50.8%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
30th
of 120 countries
All-time high
63.6%
in 2020
All-time low
29.6%
in 2011
Years of data
14
2004–2023

Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica, 2004–2023

02040602004201320232004: 35.52011: 29.62012: 29.72013: 31.52014: 31.92015: 33.82016: 35.42017: 36.42018: 35.82019: 33.42020: 63.62021: 54.52022: 51.72023: 50.8

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Analysis

In 2023, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica stood at 50.8%.

The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 61.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica peaked at 63.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 29.6%, in 2011.

Costa Rica ranks 30th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica, year by year

Annual values for Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita in Costa Rica, 2004 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2004 35.5%
2011 29.6% -16.4%
2012 29.7% +0.4%
2013 31.5% +6.0%
2014 31.9% +1.0%
2015 33.8% +6.2%
2016 35.4% +4.6%
2017 36.4% +2.7%
2018 35.8% -1.6%
2019 33.4% -6.5%
2020 63.6% +90.2%
2021 54.5% -14.3%
2022 51.7% -5.1%
2023 50.8% -1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 35.5% 35.5% 35.5% 1
2010s 33.1% 29.6% 36.4% 9
2020s 55.2% 50.8% 63.6% 4

Countries ranked near Costa Rica

  1. 27 Tunisia 52.6% compare
  2. 28 Lesotho 51.6% compare
  3. 29 Syrian Arab Republic 51.2% compare
  4. 31 Denmark 41.8% compare
  5. 32 Honduras 41.5% compare
  6. 33 Barbados 40.8% compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More education data for Costa Rica

All data for Costa Rica →

Frequently asked questions

What is initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica?
Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica was 50.8% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of recorded in Costa Rica?
The highest recorded value was 63.6% in 2020.
What is the lowest initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of recorded in Costa Rica?
The lowest recorded value was 29.6% in 2011.
How does Costa Rica rank for initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of?
Costa Rica ranks 30th out of 120 countries with data for 2023.
Is initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of rising or falling in Costa Rica?
Over the last ten years it is up 61.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in Costa Rica. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/initial-government-funding-per-tertiary-student-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-per-capita-2/costa-rica/

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About this data

Indicator
Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
120 places, 1,713 data points, 1970–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release