Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 17.2% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
17.2%
Change on year
up 5.3%
World rank
41st
of 110 countries
All-time high
19.6%
in 2011
All-time low
16.3%
in 2023
Years of data
24
2001–2024
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica, 2001–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
Costa Rica recorded 17.2% for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in 2024.
That represents a change of up 5.3% on the previous year and down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica peaked at 19.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 16.3%, in 2023.
Costa Rica ranks 41st of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 18.1% | — |
| 2002 | 17.0% | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 17.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 17.9% | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 18.1% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 17.5% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 17.7% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 18.2% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 18.5% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 19.6% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 18.8% | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 18.7% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 19.4% | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 18.9% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 19.3% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 18.8% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 19.0% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 18.2% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 18.5% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 17.0% | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 16.3% | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 17.2% | +5.3% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 17.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 17.9%, 96% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 17.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15.1%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.8% | 17.0% | 18.5% | 9 |
| 2010s | 19.1% | 18.7% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 16.3% | 18.5% | 5 |
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 participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica?
- Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica was 17.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3% in 2023.
- How does Costa Rica rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Costa Rica ranks 41st out of 110 countries with data for 2024.
- Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Costa Rica data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-64 years old, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release