Persistence to grade 5, total in North America

North America: Persistence to grade 5, total was 84.4% in 2021. ▬ Flat

Latest (2021)
84.4%
Change on year
down 4.5%
Rank
9th
of 12 groups
All-time high
93.4%
in 2019
All-time low
84.4%
in 2021
Years of data
5
2017–2021

Persistence to grade 5, total in North America, 2017–2021

0204060801002017201920212017: 89.7 % of cohort2018: 86.2 % of cohort2019: 93.4 % of cohort2020: 88.4 % of cohort2021: 84.4 % of cohort

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of cohort.

Analysis

In 2021, persistence to grade 5, total in North America stood at 84.4%. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.5% on the previous year and down 5.9% over five years.

Persistence to grade 5, total in North America, year by year

Annual values for Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) in North America, 2017 to 2021.
Year % of cohort Change
2017 89.7%
2018 86.2% -3.9%
2019 93.4% +8.3%
2020 88.4% -5.4%
2021 84.4% -4.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 89.8% 86.2% 93.4% 3
2020s 86.4% 84.4% 88.4% 2

Countries ranked near North America

  1. 6 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 99.8% compare
  2. 7 China 99.8%
  3. 8 Denmark 99.7% compare
  4. 9 Norway 99.7% compare
  5. 10 Chile 99.7% compare
  6. 11 Switzerland 99.7% compare
  7. 12 Mexico 99.6% compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More education data for North America

All data for North America →

Frequently asked questions

What is persistence to grade 5, total in North America?
Persistence to grade 5, total in North America was 84.4% in 2021, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in North America?
The highest recorded value was 93.4% in 2019.
What is the lowest persistence to grade 5, total recorded in North America?
The lowest recorded value was 84.4% in 2021.
How does North America rank for persistence to grade 5, total?
North America ranks 9th out of 12 groups with data for 2021.
Where does this North America data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persistence to grade 5, total in North America. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/persistence-to-grade-5-total-percent-of-cohort/north-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort)
Unit
% of cohort
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
176 places, 3,790 data points, 1970–2023
Last refreshed

Persistence to grade 5 (percentage of cohort reaching grade 5) is the share of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade 5. The estimate is based on the reconstructed cohort method.