Primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Primary education, pupils was 144,542 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico is 144,542, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.8% on the previous year and down 44.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico peaked at 497,830 in 1982 and was at its lowest, 144,542, in 2024.
Puerto Rico ranks 143rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 472,742 | — |
| 1972 | 475,706 | +0.6% |
| 1973 | 471,992 | -0.8% |
| 1974 | 462,034 | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 438,800 | -5.0% |
| 1976 | 429,503 | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 440,163 | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 497,830 | +13.1% |
| 2009 | 303,833 | -39.0% |
| 2010 | 299,746 | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 269,885 | -10.0% |
| 2012 | 268,460 | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 263,734 | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 258,958 | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 250,579 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 227,548 | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 208,544 | -8.4% |
| 2023 | 150,261 | -27.9% |
| 2024 | 144,542 | -3.8% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 144,542 is below the median for high income countries, which is 236,668, 61% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 144,542 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 287,527, 50% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | -39.0% | 497,830 | 303,833 |
| 2023 | -27.9% | 208,544 | 150,261 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 455,849 | 429,503 | 475,706 | 7 |
| 1980s | 497,830 | 497,830 | 497,830 | 1 |
| 2000s | 303,833 | 303,833 | 303,833 | 1 |
| 2010s | 255,932 | 208,544 | 299,746 | 8 |
| 2020s | 147,402 | 144,542 | 150,261 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More education data for Puerto Rico
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 20,845 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 14,445 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 13,807 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 171,527 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 144,542 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -3.81 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0451 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico?
- Primary education, pupils in Puerto Rico was 144,542 in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest primary education, pupils recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 497,830 in 1982.
- What is the lowest primary education, pupils recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 144,542 in 2024.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for primary education, pupils?
- Puerto Rico ranks 143rd out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is primary education, pupils rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Primary education, pupils. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Primary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at primary level in public and private schools.