Costa Rica: Trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Costa Rica's trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) fell 0.26 percentage points on 2019 (from 94.53% to 94.27%).

Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2002 to 2019), the average change was −0.48 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.77 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 1.96 percentage points in 2011 and the biggest yearly fall was 8.74 percentage points in 2006. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.23 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 53% 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

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

Closest to Costa Rica in the 2020 ranking

• Portugal — 1st of 4: 100%
• Lithuania — 3rd of 4: 91.31%
• Guinea — 4th of 4: 76.7%

What this measures

Trained teachers in primary education are the percentage of primary school teachers who have received the minimum organized teacher training (pre-service or in-service) required for teaching in a given country.

Limitations: This indicator does not take into account differences in teachers' experiences and status, teaching methods, teaching materials, and classroom conditions - all factors that affect the quality of teaching and learning. Some teachers without formal training may have acquired equivalent pedagogical skills through professional experience. In addition, national standards regarding teacher qualifications and pedagogical skills may vary.

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

All 19 values

Trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 52.82% (2018)
• Bahamas, The — 89.25% (2024)
• Barbados — 75.88% (2024)
• Belize — 88.67% (2024)
• Bolivia — 93.66% (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 97.17% (2024)
• Cayman Islands — 100% (2024)
• Colombia — 97.63% (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
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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 trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers)?

94.27% in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1999?

It is up 7.09 percentage points from 87.18% in 1999. The highest value was 97.43% in 2004 and the lowest 86.05% in 2008.

Is the latest change in trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) unusual for Costa Rica?

In 2020, Costa Rica's trained teachers in primary education (% of total teachers) fell 0.26 percentage points on 2019 (from 94.53% to 94.27%). Across the 14 yearly changes before that (2002 to 2019), the average change was −0.48 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.77 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.TCAQ.ZS, 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.

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