Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica
Costa Rica: Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions was 52.0% in 2019. ▲ Rising
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica, 2011–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica is 52.0%, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica peaked at 52.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 47.4%, in 2012.
Costa Rica ranks 120th of 155 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 49.2% | — |
| 2012 | 47.4% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 48.6% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 48.1% | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 48.9% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 49.5% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 49.8% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 50.9% | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 52.0% | +2.0% |
Costa Rica compared with similar countries
- Costa Rica's 52.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 80.5%, 65% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Costa Rica's 52.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 54.4%, 96% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
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 percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica?
- Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions in Costa Rica was 52.0% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in Costa Rica?
- The highest recorded value was 52.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions recorded in Costa Rica?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.4% in 2012.
- How does Costa Rica rank for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions?
- Costa Rica ranks 120th out of 155 countries with data for 2019.
- Is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions rising or falling in Costa Rica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. 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 Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in public institutions, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release