Share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador
El Salvador: Share of the population with at least some formal education was 98.2% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
98.2%
World rank
37th
of 111 countries
All-time high
98.2%
in 2020
All-time low
5.6%
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador, 1870–2020
Source: Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador stood at 98.2%. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador peaked at 98.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 5.6%, in 1870.
That places El Salvador 37th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 5.6% | — |
| 1875 | 6.9% | +23.2% |
| 1880 | 8.4% | +21.7% |
| 1885 | 10.2% | +21.4% |
| 1890 | 12.3% | +20.6% |
| 1895 | 14.5% | +17.9% |
| 1900 | 19.4% | +33.8% |
| 1905 | 21.5% | +10.8% |
| 1910 | 25.8% | +20.0% |
| 1915 | 26.9% | +4.3% |
| 1920 | 28.5% | +5.9% |
| 1925 | 30.1% | +5.6% |
| 1930 | 31.2% | +3.7% |
| 1935 | 31.0% | -0.6% |
| 1940 | 30.8% | -0.6% |
| 1945 | 33.4% | +8.4% |
| 1950 | 36.2% | +8.4% |
| 1955 | 39.1% | +8.0% |
| 1960 | 44.1% | +12.8% |
| 1965 | 49.5% | +12.2% |
| 1970 | 56.1% | +13.3% |
| 1975 | 61.7% | +10.0% |
| 1980 | 66.6% | +7.9% |
| 1985 | 69.1% | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 72.5% | +4.9% |
| 1995 | 77.1% | +6.3% |
| 2000 | 82.3% | +6.7% |
| 2005 | 88.0% | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 96.8% | +10.0% |
| 2015 | 97.7% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 98.2% | +0.5% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 98.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 97.4%, 1.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 98.2% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 97.1%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 6.2% | 5.6% | 6.9% | 2 |
| 1880s | 9.3% | 8.4% | 10.2% | 2 |
| 1890s | 13.4% | 12.3% | 14.5% | 2 |
| 1900s | 20.4% | 19.4% | 21.5% | 2 |
| 1910s | 26.4% | 25.8% | 26.9% | 2 |
| 1920s | 29.3% | 28.5% | 30.1% | 2 |
| 1930s | 31.1% | 31.0% | 31.2% | 2 |
| 1940s | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.4% | 2 |
| 1950s | 37.7% | 36.2% | 39.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 46.8% | 44.1% | 49.5% | 2 |
| 1970s | 58.9% | 56.1% | 61.7% | 2 |
| 1980s | 67.8% | 66.6% | 69.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 74.8% | 72.5% | 77.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 85.2% | 82.3% | 88.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 97.2% | 96.8% | 97.7% | 2 |
| 2020s | 98.2% | 98.2% | 98.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 34 Germany 98.4% compare
- 34 Peru 98.4% compare
- 36 New Zealand 98.3% compare
- 37 Bulgaria 98.2% compare
- 37 Costa Rica 98.2% compare
- 37 Iceland 98.2% compare
- 37 Philippines 98.2% compare
More education data for El Salvador
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 17,715 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 21,853 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 100,826 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 100,758 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 417,193 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 594,860 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0939 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador?
- Share of the population with at least some formal education in El Salvador was 98.2% in 2020, according to Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with at least some formal education recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 98.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of the population with at least some formal education recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.6% in 1870.
- How does El Salvador rank for share of the population with at least some formal education?
- El Salvador ranks 37th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with at least some formal education rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from Barro and Lee (2015); Lee and Lee (2016) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with at least some formal education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Based on the population aged 15 years and older.