Costa Rica: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2018, Costa Rica's pupil-teacher ratio, primary rose 0.58 on 2017 (from 11.63 to 12.2).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1984 to 2017), the average change was −0.54 and a typical year strayed about 0.83 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 5.34 in 1981 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.3 in 1985. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2009 to 2018 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.82 a year. A straight line explains 89% of the movement over 9 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2018, Costa Rica had the 74th highest value of the 83 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Costa Rica in the 2018 ranking

• Hong Kong SAR, China — 71st of 83: 13.35
• Ukraine — 72nd of 83: 12.98
• Antigua and Barbuda — 73rd of 83: 12.41
• Qatar — 75th of 83: 12.17
• Bahrain — 76th of 83: 11.92
• Andorra — 77th of 83: 10.5

What this measures

Primary school pupil-teacher ratio is the average number of pupils per teacher in primary school.

Limitations: The comparability of pupil-teacher ratios across countries is affected by the definition of teachers and by differences in class size by grade and in the number of hours taught, as well as the different practices countries employ such as part-time teachers, school shifts, and multi-grade classes. Moreover, the underlying enrollment levels are subject to a variety of reporting errors.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 45 values

Pupil-teacher ratio, primary in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 12.41 (2018)
• Bahamas, The — 19.45 (2018)
• Barbados — 13.99 (2018)
• Belize — 19.78 (2018)
• Brazil — 20.22 (2017)
• British Virgin Islands — 11.62 (2017)
• Cayman Islands — 15.75 (2018)
• Chile — 17.79 (2017)
• Colombia — 23.3 (2018)
• Cuba — 9.16 (2018)
• Dominica — 13.08 (2016)

More education data for Costa Rica

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 460,126 (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 464,490 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.99 (2021)
• Primary education, teachers — 43,058 (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 95.24% (2021)
• School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Costa Rica's pupil-teacher ratio, primary?

12.2 in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 59.06% from 29.81 in 1970 (1.84% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 33.79 in 1984 and the lowest 11.63 in 2017.

How does Costa Rica rank?

74th highest of 83 economies with data for 2018.

Is the latest change in pupil-teacher ratio, primary unusual for Costa Rica?

In 2018, Costa Rica's pupil-teacher ratio, primary rose 0.58 on 2017 (from 11.63 to 12.2). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1984 to 2017), the average change was −0.54 and a typical year strayed about 0.83 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL.TC.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://uis.unesco.org/bdds, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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