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 61.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica, 2001–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica stood at 61.4%.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica peaked at 66.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 47.2%, in 2001.
Costa Rica ranks 48th of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 47.2% | — |
| 2002 | 51.2% | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 50.7% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 53.9% | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 53.9% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 54.5% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 54.0% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 55.4% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 57.3% | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 59.4% | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 59.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 60.8% | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 62.4% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 59.1% | -5.3% |
| 2016 | 60.8% | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 61.6% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 62.0% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 65.7% | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 66.2% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 64.8% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 65.8% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 61.4% | -6.6% |
| 2024 | 61.4% | -0.1% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 61.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 72.6%, 85% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 61.4% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 50.5%, 1.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 53.1% | 47.2% | 57.3% | 9 |
| 2010s | 61.5% | 59.0% | 65.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.9% | 61.4% | 66.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Costa Rica
- 45 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 63.2% compare
- 46 Austria 62.3% compare
- 47 Montenegro 61.9% compare
- 49 Brunei Darussalam 61.2% compare
- 50 Korea 60.7% compare
- 51 Egypt 59.0% compare
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 61.4% 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 66.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.2% in 2001.
- How does Costa Rica rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- Costa Rica ranks 48th 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 1.6%. 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 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 15-24 years old, female (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release