Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher was 38.6% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico, 1970–2020
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico is 38.6%, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 22.9% on the previous year and down 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico peaked at 50.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 12.1%, in 1970.
Puerto Rico ranks 38th of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 12.1% | — |
| 1980 | 18.5% | +53.0% |
| 1990 | 28.7% | +55.3% |
| 2000 | 37.6% | +31.2% |
| 2005 | 42.3% | +12.3% |
| 2006 | 40.9% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 40.7% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 42.8% | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 43.9% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 50.0% | +14.1% |
| 2020 | 38.6% | -22.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.1% | 12.1% | 12.1% | 1 |
| 1980s | 18.5% | 18.5% | 18.5% | 1 |
| 1990s | 28.7% | 28.7% | 28.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 40.8% | 37.6% | 42.8% | 5 |
| 2010s | 47.0% | 43.9% | 50.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.6% | 38.6% | 38.6% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More education data for Puerto Rico
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -5.09 % change on previous year (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,022 tertiary education (2023)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 12,589 (2018)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) -5.62 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 96,025 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico?
- Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher in Puerto Rico was 38.6% in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 50.0% in 2017.
- What is the lowest share of the population with post-secondary education or higher recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.1% in 1970.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for share of the population with post-secondary education or higher?
- Puerto Rico ranks 38th out of 110 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with post-secondary education or higher rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with post-secondary education or higher. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of adults aged 25 and older who have completed post-secondary or tertiary education.