Costa Rica: Secondary education, teachers, female

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Costa Rica's secondary education, teachers, female fell 2.5% on 2023 (from 21,975 to 21,434).

Across the 21 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2023), the average change was +4.3% and a typical year strayed about 6.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below 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 16.8% in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.8% in 1997. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 29% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

In 2024, Costa Rica had the 45th 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 2024 ranking

• Georgia — 42nd of 83: 26,755
• New Zealand — 43rd of 83: 23,475
• Lithuania — 44th of 83: 21,994
• Armenia — 46th of 83: 20,029
• Mongolia — 47th of 83: 19,568
• Honduras — 48th of 83: 18,587

What this measures

Secondary education, teachers, female, refers to the total number of female teachers at secondary level, including full-time and part-time teachers.

Limitations: The indicator measures the level of gender representation in the teaching profession, rather than the effectiveness and quality of teaching.

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

All 27 values

Secondary education, teachers, female in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 640 (2023)
• Bahamas, The — 1,440 (2024)
• Barbados — 813 (2024)
• Belize — 1,518 (2024)
• Bolivia — 37,689 (2024)
• Brazil — 629,792 (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 140 (2023)
• Cayman Islands — 252 (2024)
• Chile — 59,184 (2024)
• Colombia — 96,645 (2022)
• Cuba

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
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Costa Rica's secondary education, teachers, female?

21,434 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 1,128% from 1,745 in 1970 (4.75% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 22,860 in 2020 and the lowest 1,745 in 1970.

How does Costa Rica rank?

45th highest of 83 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in secondary education, teachers, female unusual for Costa Rica?

In 2024, Costa Rica's secondary education, teachers, female fell 2.5% on 2023 (from 21,975 to 21,434). Across the 21 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2023), the average change was +4.3% and a typical year strayed about 6.6% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below 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.SEC.TCHR.FE, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. 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.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.