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Costa Rica
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Costa Rica
Overview of the education system (EAG 2024)
  • In Costa Rica, reducing the share of young adults without an upper secondary qualification has been a priority. The share of 25-34 year-olds without upper secondary educational attainment decreased by 11 percentage points between 2016 and 2023. At 38%, it is 24 percentage points above the OECD average in 2023.
  • In Costa Rica, 65% of 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification are employed, compared to 69% of those with an upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary qualification. The corresponding OECD averages are 61% and 79%, respectively.
  • Across the OECD, the average NEET rate decreased from 15.8% to 13.8% between 2016 and 2023. However, in Costa Rica, the share of NEETs increased from 24.7% to 27.9%.
  • In all OECD member countries, women aged 25-34 are as likely or more likely than their male peers to have a tertiary qualification (54% compared to 41% on average across OECD countries). With a tertiary educational attainment rate of 34% for women and 30% for men, the gap is much narrower than the OECD average in Costa Rica.
  • In Costa Rica, only 43% of young women with educational attainment below upper secondary educational level are employed, while the corresponding share for young men is 84% (the corresponding OECD averages are 47% and 72%). In contrast, 75% of young women with a tertiary qualification are employed, while the corresponding share for young men is 83% (the corresponding OECD averages are 84% and 90%).
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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

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    Attainment

    The level of upper secondary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.5 %, rank 42/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of upper secondary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (61.6 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of upper secondary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (33.8 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (38.4 %, rank 4/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (54.5 %, rank 5/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.2 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who have attained a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary qualification is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.9 %, rank 36/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Costa Rica has one of the highest percentages of 25-64 year-old adults with less than primary education. (9.8 %, rank 4/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of below upper secondary attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (66.2 %, rank 5/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The level of upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education attainment among 55-64 year-olds is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.1 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-olds who have attained a vocational degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.6 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (1.3 %, rank 38/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old men who have attained a vocational degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old women who have attained a vocational degree at the upper secondary or post-secondary level is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.8 %, rank 36/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old men who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (44 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old men who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (59.4 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 35-44 year-old men who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (44.3 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 45-54 year-old men who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.4 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 55-64 year-old men who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (32.6 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old women who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (64 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 35-44 year-old women who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (49.6 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 45-54 year-old women who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (36.7 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 55-64 year-old women who have attained at least upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.8 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Costa Rica is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (40.6 %, rank 4/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women who attained below upper secondary education in Costa Rica is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (36 %, rank 4/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old men who attained below upper secondary education in Costa Rica is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (56 %, rank 3/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (29.4 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.4 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old women who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20 %, rank 43/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 55-64 year-old men who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.6 %, rank 44/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 55-64 year-old women who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.5 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Costa Rica has one of the largest share of women among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education. (49.2 %, rank 4/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (2.7 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (2.6 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-34 years-old women with at least a bachelor's or equivalent degree in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data (22.9 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of female students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Costa Rica is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (33.3 %, rank 37/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the average age of new entrants in short-cycle programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (21.3 Years, rank 30/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of first-time entrants into master's or equivalent programmes before the age of 30 is relatively low. (42.9 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of first-time entrants into doctorate's or equivalent programmes before the age of 30 is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 38/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the average age of new entrants in master's programmes is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (32.1 Years, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of women among the new entrants in master's programmes in Costa Rica is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (50.2 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (68 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of arts and humanities is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (53.1 %, rank 39/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (58.1 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Costa Rica is relatively small. (0 %, rank 37/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of male among new entrants in doctoral programmes enrolled in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively small. (0 %, rank 35/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (71.4 %, rank 37/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of women among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (44.6 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in health and welfare in Costa Rica is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (58.3 %, rank 38/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering master's or equivalent programmes in information and communication technologies in Costa Rica is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (6.3 %, rank 38/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of men among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (63.5 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering doctoral or equivalent programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Costa Rica is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (50 %, rank 37/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Costa Rica is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (58.6 %, rank 31/31 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Costa Rica is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (63.7 %, rank 30/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The enrolment rate among 15-19 year-olds in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (61.8 %, rank 41/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of three-year-olds in early childhood education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.1 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate of 20-24 year-olds in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (22.5 %, rank 42/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 3-5 year-old children in early childhood and primary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (61.2 %, rank 38/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of students enrolled in programmes providing full completion and access to tertiary education among all students enrolled in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (100 %, rank 1/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The average age of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Costa Rica is one of the lowest compared to other countries with available data. (13.5 %, rank 21/22 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Costa Rica has one of the largest shares of lower secondary students enrolled in vocational programmes. (19.3 %, rank 2/23 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in upper secondary general programmes in Costa Rica is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.8 %, rank 5/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in bachelor's programmes in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (12.2 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The enrolment rate among students aged 20-24 in master's programmes in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of three-year-olds in pre-primary education in Costa Rica is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.1 %, rank 42/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    The average age of graduates from general programmes at the upper secondary level in Costa Rica is comparatively high. (21 Years, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of master's or equivalent graduates in public institutions is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (26.8 %, rank 34/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    The share of female graduates from upper secondary general programmes is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (54.9 %, rank 2/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.9 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.3 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (36.3 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2.5 %, rank 39/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (7.8 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humaties in Costa Rica is relatively small. (2 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law in Costa Rica is relatively large. (14.3 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics in Costa Rica is relatively small. (10.2 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction in Costa Rica is relatively small. (4.1 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of health and welfare in Costa Rica is relatively small. (0 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of business, aministration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.4 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of upper secondary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 36/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.4 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary vocational graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0 %, rank 36/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of arts and humanities is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 44/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (36 %, rank 4/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of STEM is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.3 %, rank 44/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (28.7 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in the humanities and arts is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (3 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in social sciences, business and law is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries. (37.3 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of Natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively high. (60 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low. (28.6 %, rank 40/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female tertiary graduates in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (5.9 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female tertiary graduates in the field of sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (9.4 %, rank 38/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of education is relatively high in Costa Rica. (22.3 %, rank 1/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of male tertiary graduates in the field of arts and humanities is relatively small. (2.7 %, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of male tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.7 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is relatively low in Costa Rica. (25.2 %, rank 41/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the field of education is one of the smallest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (65.6 %, rank 40/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (37.3 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of health and welfare is relatively low. (4.7 %, rank 39/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes in field of health and welfare is relatively small. (0 %, rank 29/33 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (0 %, rank 36/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of business, administration and law is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (66.7 %, rank 1/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of education is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (0 %, rank 36/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (11.1 %, rank 33/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of health and welfare is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (0 %, rank 36/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (11.1 %, rank 3/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics is relatively low. (0 %, rank 37/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of social sciences, journalism and information is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (0 %, rank 37/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of new entrants in education master's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.6 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of new entrants in arts and humanities master's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.3 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of new entrants in social sciences, journalism and information master's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.7 %, rank 38/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of new entrants in health and welfare bachelor's programmes is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (5.4 %, rank 40/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of information and communication technologies among all international or foreign tertiary students in Costa Rica is relatively high. (10.8 %, rank 1/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    The public expenditure on public educational institutions per full-time equivalent student from primary to tertiary education is relatively lowest in Costa Rica. (6160 USD Equivalent, rank 34/38 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Costa Rica, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (4 %, rank 5/41 , 2021) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (5.3 %, rank 3/41 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Government and private expenditure in education

    In Costa Rica, international expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of total expenditure on tertiary education is relatively low. (0 %, rank 27/31 , 2021) Download Indicator

    The share of public expenditure on educational institutions, for tertiary education is comparatively large in Costa Rica. (91.7 %, rank 2/37 , 2021) Download Indicator

    Teachers

    The number of hours per year primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively high in Costa Rica. (1228 Hours, rank 1/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of hours per year lower secondary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively high in Costa Rica. (1267 Hours, rank 1/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of days of instruction in a school year in lower secondary public school is especially high. (198 Days, rank 4/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The number of hours per year pre-primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively low in Costa Rica. (812 Hours, rank 14/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is especially high. (69.5 %, rank 2/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of lower secondary teachers older than 50 is especially low. (19.1 %, rank 36/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of upper secondary teachers older than 50 is especially low. (19.1 %, rank 39/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of primary to upper secondary teachers older than 50 is especially low. (22.8 %, rank 36/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers younger than 30 in primary education is especially low in Costa Rica. (66.9 %, rank 39/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers under 30 in lower secondary education is especially low in Costa Rica. (54 %, rank 34/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of female teachers younger than 30 in tertiary education is relatively small . (44.7 %, rank 36/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of tertiary teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively high, compared to other countries with data available. (64 %, rank 1/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of short-cycle tertiary teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (4 %, rank 25/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of bachelor's, master's and doctoral level female teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (44.5 %, rank 33/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of short-cycle tertiary female teachers older than 50 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (0 %, rank 25/25 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in early childhood educational development is especially low in Costa Rica. (6.9 %, rank 20/20 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of women among teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (84.3 %, rank 21/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of teachers under 30 in pre-primary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (6.4 %, rank 35/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in pre-primary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (67.2 %, rank 2/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In upper secondary education, the percentage of teachers aged 50 or more is particularly low in Costa Rica. (19.2 %, rank 32/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of upper secondary general education teachers aged between 30 and 49 is relatively high, compared to the other countries with available data. (71.9 %, rank 1/34 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of upper secondary vocational education teachers aged 50 or more is relatively low, compared to the other countries with available data. (18.9 %, rank 30/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the percentage of teachers aged between 30 and 49 in upper secondary vocational education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (73.5 %, rank 1/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    After 15 years of experience, a lower secondary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28968 USD Equivalent, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, an upper secondary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28968 USD Equivalent, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a pre-primary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28640 USD Equivalent, rank 25/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a primary teacher with minimum qualification can expect to have one of the lowest salaries among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28640 USD Equivalent, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of pre-primary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.16 Ratio, rank 2/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of primary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.19 Ratio, rank 3/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of lower secondary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.51 Ratio, rank 1/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of upper secondary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.51 Ratio, rank 1/17 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the change in statutory primary education teachers' salaries with 15 years of experience, based on most prevalent qualifications at different points in teachers' careers is relatively small. (76 Index, rank 31/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the change in statutory lower secondary education teachers' salaries with 15 years of experience, based on most prevalent qualifications at different points in teachers' careers is relatively small. (57 Index, rank 31/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the change in statutory upper secondary education teachers' salaries with 15 years of experience, based on most prevalent qualifications at different points in teachers' careers is relatively small. (57 Index, rank 31/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, an upper secondary teacher can expect to have one of the lowest salaries per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (27 USD Equivalent, rank 32/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a primary teacher can expect to have one of the lowest salaries per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (27 USD Equivalent, rank 33/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    After 15 years of experience, a lower secondary teacher can expect to have one of the lowest salaries per hour of net teaching time among OECD and partner countries with available data. (27 USD Equivalent, rank 33/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of lower secondary female teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year women workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.49 Ratio, rank 1/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of lower secondary male teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year men workers with tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.54 Ratio, rank 1/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The salaries of 25-34 year-old general lower-secondary teachers relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is high in Costa Rica. (1.14 Ratio, rank 2/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The salaries of 55-64 year-old general lower-secondary teachers relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is high in Costa Rica. (1.71 Ratio, rank 1/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The change in statutory pre-primary teachers' salaries with 15 years of experience, based on most prevalent qualifications at different points in their careers is comparatively small in Costa Rica. (76 Index, rank 24/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    Starting salaries for teachers with minimum training in primary education are especially low. (22713 USD Equivalent, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of primary school teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially low. (26664 USD Equivalent, rank 33/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of primary school teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially low. (34567 USD Equivalent, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Starting salaries for lower secondary teachers with minimum training are especially low. (22971 USD Equivalent, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of lower secondary teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially low. (26969 USD Equivalent, rank 34/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of lower secondary teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially low. (34965 USD Equivalent, rank 32/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Starting salaries for upper secondary teachers with minimum training are especially low. (22971 USD Equivalent, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of upper secondary teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially low. (26969 USD Equivalent, rank 34/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of upper secondary teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially low. (34965 USD Equivalent, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Starting salaries for pre-primary teachers with minimum training are especially low. (22713 USD Equivalent, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of pre-primary teachers with minimum training after 10 years of experience are especially low. (26664 USD Equivalent, rank 26/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Salaries of pre-primary teachers with minimum training at the top of scale are especially low. (34567 USD Equivalent, rank 24/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In lower secondary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is comparatively high. (3.46 Ratio, rank 2/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Principals' salaries

    Lower-secondary 25-64 year-old school heads' salaries relative to earnings for full-time, full-year similarly educated workers with tertiary education is high in Costa Rica. (2.03 Ratio, rank 1/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of 25-64 year-old primary school heads is one of the lowest in Costa Rica. (57953 USD Equivalent, rank 15/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of lower secondary men school heads aged 25 to 64 is one of the lowest in Costa Rica. (65932 USD Equivalent, rank 14/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average actual salaries of lower secondary women school heads aged 25 to 64 is one of the lowest in Costa Rica. (68480 USD Equivalent, rank 14/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Migrant background

    The proportion of 25-34 year-old foreign-born people who have attained tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (13.4 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old native-born people who have attained tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (26.8 %, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of native-born aged between 25-64 with tertiary education is comparatively low. (80.5 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate of native-born aged between 25 and 34 with tertiary education is comparatively low. (67.3 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (19.7 %, rank 33/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of native-born aged between 25 and 64 who attained upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (20.3 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of foreign-born aged between 15 and 29 who are neither employed nor in education and training is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.6 %, rank 1/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The earnings of foreign-born workers as a percentage of native-born workers (among 25-64 years-old with tertiary attainment) are one of the lowest among countries with availaible data (86.4 %, rank 15/19 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the lower secondary level in independent private institutions is especially low in Costa Rica. (7.4 Ratio, rank 23/26 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the upper secondary level in independent private institutions is especially low in Costa Rica. (7.4 Ratio, rank 25/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The ratio of students to teaching staff at the secondary level in independent private institutions is especially low in Costa Rica. (7.4 Ratio, rank 25/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the ratio of children to teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (4.8 Ratio, rank 17/21 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Organisation of the education system

    Classes are particularly small in primary schools. (15 Students, rank 34/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Classes in public primary institutions are comparatively small in Costa Rica. (15 Students, rank 35/38 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Classes in lower secondary public institutions are comparatively large in Costa Rica. (32 Students, rank 1/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, classes in primary education are comparatively small. (15 Students, rank 34/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a short-cycle tertiary education degree is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (71.7 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (72.9 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (67.4 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (58.3 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (48.2 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (75.2 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a short-cycle tertiary education is comparatively low. (66.4 %, rank 32/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (76.7 %, rank 33/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (74 %, rank 34/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 35-44 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (74.2 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is comparatively low. (80.3 %, rank 42/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (67.9 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is comparatively low. (85.9 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low. (50.4 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (82.9 %, rank 44/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (52.5 %, rank 42/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old men with tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (67.7 %, rank 45/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old women with below upper secondary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (26.6 %, rank 41/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old women with tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (50.8 %, rank 43/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively low in Costa Rica. (27.5 %, rank 43/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively low (56.9 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (50.2 %, rank 37/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (52.3 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of employed 25-64 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (91.8 %, rank 1/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low in Costa Rica compared to other countries with available data. (52 %, rank 36/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-34 year-olds with a general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest of all OECD countries and partner economies for which data are available. (12.8 %, rank 3/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old with a short cycle tertiary education degree is relatively high in Costa Rica. (7.6 %, rank 3/22 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (18.3 %, rank 3/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of unemployed 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (11.3 %, rank 5/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of unemployed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (11.8 %, rank 4/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Costa Rica. (16.4 %, rank 4/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Costa Rica. (10.5 %, rank 5/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (17.7 %, rank 5/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (12.2 %, rank 2/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (28.1 %, rank 1/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a short cycle tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (23.8 %, rank 3/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest among countries with available data. (25.8 %, rank 5/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men without an upper secondary education is relatively low compared to other countries with available data. (6.9 %, rank 40/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (37.8 %, rank 4/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (43.5 %, rank 2/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (7.4 %, rank 32/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (30.4 %, rank 4/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (40.8 %, rank 3/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (5.9 %, rank 35/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (37.1 %, rank 5/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high. (43.2 %, rank 4/45 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively high. (10.4 %, rank 4/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education is relatively high. (9.6 %, rank 3/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    The proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with tertiary education and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is quite high. (202 Index, rank 4/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Compared with other OECD and partner countries, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is high. (200 Index, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The gap in average earnings between 25-64 year-old women with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (199 Index, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old men with a bachelor's or equivalent degree and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is high. (209 Index, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of 25-64 year-old full and part-time workers with tertiary education are comparatively high. (214.9 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a tertiary education degree is comparatively . (49 Index, rank 2/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of young 25-34 year-old adults with a bachelor's or equivalent attainment earnings is relatively high compared to OECD and other members with available data (187 Index, rank 2/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old workers with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education earning more than twice the overall median in Costa Rica is one of the highest among countries with available data. (10 Index, rank 5/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the relative earnings for 45-54 year-old workers with below upper secondary attainment are low compared to workers with upper secondary attainment (68 Index, rank 39/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary education or post-secondary non-tertiary education and income from employment) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (90.9 %, rank 3/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education and income from employment) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (93.1 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-64 year-olds with income from employment) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (119.4 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women (as a percentage of men's earnings) among full- and part-time 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education are one of the highest among countries with available data. (90.2 %, rank 2/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (among 25-34 year-olds with upper secondary education or post-secondary non-tertiary education and income from employment) are one of the high among countries with available data. (94.5 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (94.6 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The percentage of native-born 15-29 year-olds neither employed nor in education and training is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (23.2 %, rank 2/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of unemployed youth neither in formal education nor training among 18-24 year-olds in Costa Rica is one of the highest among countries with available data. (11.9 %, rank 2/42 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high (40.3 %, rank 4/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high (20.2 %, rank 2/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education in Costa Rica is relatively high (29 %, rank 3/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education neither in employment nor in education and training (25-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (19.4 %, rank 4/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-29 year-olds neither in employment nor in education and training with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary in Costa Rica is relatively high. (28 %, rank 5/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are unemployed NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (9.4 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are unemployed NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (12 %, rank 2/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (11 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are unemployed NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (9 %, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are inactive NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (13 %, rank 4/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are unemployed NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (11.7 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of unemployed NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Costa Rica is relatively high. (9.2 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of men neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively high. (19.9 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the share of women neither employed nor in education among 15-29 year-olds is relatively high. (29 %, rank 4/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 15-29 year-olds, the share of youth without an upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary degree who are neither employed nor in education or training in Costa Rica is relatively high. (36.5 %, rank 2/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Costa Rica, the proportion of young men who are neither employed nor in education or training among 15-19 year-olds is comparatively large. (23 %, rank 1/41 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 20-24 year-old men in Costa Rica, a large share of them are neither employed nor in education or training. (20.9 %, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator


    The data table will display up to six selected countries.
    General findings
    
                            
    • Educational and labour-market outcomes for young adults at risk of falling behind have improved. Since 2016, the share of 18-24 year-olds not in employment, education or training has fallen from 16% to 14% on average across the OECD. At the same time, the share of 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification has decreased from 17% to 14%.
    • Job opportunities have also improved: the employment rate among 25-34 year-olds without an upper secondary qualification has risen from 59% to 61%, and for those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment, it has increased from 76% to 79%.
    • Educational outcomes are transmitted across generations. Inequalities start early and persist through all stages of the education system. In countries with available data, children from low-income families are on average 18 percentage points less likely to be enrolled in early childhood education and care before the age of 3.
    • Students who start an upper secondary programme are 19 percentage points less likely to successfully complete their studies if their parents have not attained upper secondary education than their peers with parents who have a tertiary qualification, and this gap is 13 percentage points for those starting a bachelor’s programmes.
    • These disadvantages result in very different levels of educational attainment. While 72% of adults who have at least one parent with a tertiary qualification have also obtained a tertiary qualification, only 19% of those whose parents have not completed upper secondary education have tertiary attainment.
    • Public expenditure on early childhood education measured as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 9% between 2015 and 2021, significantly more than for other levels of education. Enrolment rates in early childhood education have also continued to rise across all age groups. On average across the OECD, 83% of children aged 3-5 are enrolled in pre-primary education, up from 79% in 2013.
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    • In almost all countries with available data, the share of younger adults (25-34 year-olds) without an upper secondary qualification has fallen since 2016 and for Costa Rica, Mexico, Portugal and Türkiye these declines have been in double digits in percentage-point terms. This means many more younger adults will have the opportunity to succeed in the labour market.
    • On average across OECD countries, the share of women with at least a bachelor's or equivalent degree has almost doubled in a generation: going from 24% among 55-64 year-olds to 47% among 25-34 year-olds, reflecting a substantial increase in educational attainment.
    • In most OECD countries, the share of 18-24 year-olds who are neither employed nor in formal education or training (NEET) has decreased between 2016 and 2023. Costa Rica and Lithuania are exceptions, having experienced a rise above 3 percentage points in the share over this period.
    • Employment rates for younger adults (25-34 year-olds) slightly improved in most countries between 2016 and 2023, irrespective of their educational attainment level. However, the gap in employment rates between younger adults with below upper secondary attainment and those with tertiary attainment has widened in more than half of OECD, partner and/or accession countries with comparable data for both years.
    • In OECD countries, workers who have not attained upper secondary education earn, on average, 18% less than those who have attained this level of education. Meanwhile, workers with a tertiary education earn, on average, 56% more than those with only an upper secondary education.
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    • Most children aged 3 to 5 (84%) attend early childhood education (ECE) programmes across the OECD, yet only 32% of those aged 0 to 2 are enrolled in early childhood educational development programmes (ISCED 01) on average. Younger children from low-income families are least likely to attend these programmes, despite being likely to benefit the most.
    • Since 2013, 12 countries have extended the length of compulsory education at either pre-primary or upper secondary level. As enrolment rates in the years before and after compulsory education are already generally high, these measures often aim to increase enrolment among disadvantaged groups, where rates are lower.
    • The vast majority of primary students are enrolled in public institutions, averaging 85% across OECD countries. In some countries, government-dependent private institutions are prevalent, which often function in similar ways to public institutions.
    • Gender disparities at the upper secondary level affect students’ pathways in the labour market and higher education. On average, 51% of graduates from upper secondary general programmes are female, but in vocational programmes female only make up 46% of graduates.
    • Family background strongly influences success in upper secondary education. In all countries with available data, students whose parents have lower educational attainment have substantially lower completion rates than students with a tertiary-educated parent. Completion rates for students with immigrant backgrounds are also lower than for non-immigrant students.
    • On average, women are over-represented in tertiary education, but they remain under-represented in some fields. Only 15% of female new entrants at tertiary level choose a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) field, compared to 41% of male new entrants. In contrast, only 4% of male entrants opted for the field of education and 8% for health and welfare, shares which have not changed since 2015.
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    • Expenditure per student increases with the educational level in nearly all OECD countries, although by how much varies substantially among countries. On average, expenditure per student amounts to about USD 11 900 at primary level, USD 13 300 at secondary level and USD 20 500 at tertiary level.
    • OECD countries spend, on average, the equivalent of 4.9% of their gross domestic product (GDP) (over USD 3.5 trillion in total) on educational institutions from primary to tertiary levels (including tertiary research and development). Iceland, Israel, Norway and the United Kingdom invest over 6% of their national output into education.
    • Private sources play a much more important role in funding tertiary education, relative to government sources, than at lower levels. On average, private sources of funding amount to 0.3% of GDP for primary to post-secondary non-tertiary institutions, with a similar percentage for tertiary institutions. In contrast, government funding amounts to 3.2% of GDP for primary to post-secondary non-tertiary institutions, well above the 1.0% of GDP that governments spend on tertiary institutions.
    • On average, across OECD countries, the government is the primary source of funding for both public and private primary schools. For public institutions, the government covers nearly all expenditure, amounting to about USD 11 900 per student, while it accounts for less than 60% of the costs for private ones, roughly USD 7 900 per student, on average. However, these figure vary considerably across countries.
    • Tuition fees for bachelor's degrees vary considerably from country to country. In one-third of the countries and other participants with data, public institutions either offer tuition-free education to national students or charge less than USD 1 100 per year in fees. In another third of countries, annual tuition fees are relatively modest, averaging between USD 1 400 and USD 3 100 per student. In the remaining countries, fees are considerably higher, exceeding USD 4 500 per year.
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    • Between 2013 and 2022, the ratio of children to teaching staff at pre-primary level fell across most countries, from 16:1 to 15:1 on average in OECD countries, due to fewer enrolled children and more teachers. In some countries, however, the ratio has increased due to rising child enrolment and teacher shortages.
    • In most OECD countries, the salaries of teachers increase with the level of education they teach. On average across OECD countries and other participants, the salaries of teachers with the most prevalent qualifications with 15 years of experience range from USD 52 631 at pre-primary level to USD 60 803 at upper secondary level.
    • Between 2015 and 2023, the statutory salaries of teachers at primary and secondary levels increased by 28-29% in nominal terms on average across OECD countries. When adjusted for changes in prices, the rise in real salaries was much smaller, at 4-5%.
    • Based on official regulations or agreements, teachers in public schools in OECD countries and other participants are required to teach on average 1 007 hours per year at pre-primary level, 773 hours at primary level, 706 hours at lower secondary level (general programmes) and 679 hours at upper secondary level (general programmes).
    • Of the 21 countries with available data, 18 reported that they faced teacher shortages at the start of the 2022/23 academic year, with only Greece, Korea and Türkiye not reporting any shortages.
    • The ageing of the teaching workforce is more pronounced in secondary schools than in primary education. On average across OECD countries, the share of older teachers (aged 50 and over) increases with the education level: from 34% in primary education to 36% in lower secondary and 41% in upper secondary education.
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    Key
    Diagram of funding flows - Costa Rica

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    Key
    Country Reviews for Costa Rica

    Note: These values should be interpreted with care since they are influenced by countries' specific contexts and trade-offs. In education, there is often no simple most- or least-efficient model. For instance, the share of private expenditure in education must be read against other measures designed to mitigate inequities, such as loans and grants; longer learning time is an opportunity to convey more and better content to students, but may hinder investments in other important areas. If you want further information on the nature of different variables, please take the time to read the analysis and contextual information, available at the website for each publication.
    All rankings for individual variables are compiled on the basis of OECD and G20 countries for which data are available. The OECD average includes only OECD countries which are listed here: http://www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/

    Reference years displayed in the Education GPS correspond to the most common year of reference among countries for which data is available on each variable. Data for the latest available year is preferred and some countries may have provided data refering to a more recent or late year. To know more about possible exceptions on data please click on the "Download Indicator" link on each variable. When a year of reference corresponds to a school year encompassing two years, the reference reads as follows: 2018 for school year 2017/2018.

    *TALIS averages are based on all countries participating in the TALIS survey, including partner countries and economies. This explains the difference between the OECD average and the TALIS averages. Data from the TALIS survey and Education at a Glance (EAG) may differ. See Annex E of the TALIS technical report and Annex 3 of EAG 2021 for more details about the data collections.

    B-S-J-Z (China) refers to the four PISA-participating provinces/municipalities of the People's Republic of China: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

    For additional notes, please refer to annexes in the list of links below the introductory country profile text.