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 17.3% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
17.3%
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
39th
of 110 countries
All-time high
20.5%
in 2016
All-time low
16.8%
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
The most recent figure for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica is 17.3%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica peaked at 20.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 16.8%, in 2023.
That places Costa Rica 39th out of 110 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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% | -5.8% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 18.0% | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 17.9% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 18.5% | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 18.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 18.6% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 19.7% | +5.9% |
| 2011 | 20.0% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 19.0% | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 18.8% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 19.4% | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 19.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 20.5% | +5.7% |
| 2017 | 19.8% | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 19.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 18.2% | -8.1% |
| 2021 | 19.3% | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 17.6% | -8.8% |
| 2023 | 16.8% | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 17.3% | +3.2% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 17.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.3%, 95% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 17.3% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 15.5%, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.0% | 17.0% | 18.6% | 9 |
| 2010s | 19.6% | 18.8% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.8% | 16.8% | 19.3% | 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 17.3% 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 20.5% in 2016.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.8% in 2023.
- How does Costa Rica rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Costa Rica ranks 39th 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 10.6%. 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, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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