Panama: Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Panama's educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) fell 1.77 percentage points on 2023 (from 16.77% to 15%).

Across the 10 yearly changes before that (2007 to 2023), the average change was +0.47 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.23 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below 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 10.46 percentage points in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 7.23 percentage points in 2011. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

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

How it compares

In 2024, Panama had the 23rd highest value of the 29 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 Panama in the 2024 ranking

• Costa Rica — 20th of 29: 20.42%
• South Africa — 21st of 29: 17.28%
• Thailand — 22nd of 29: 16.72%
• Ecuador — 24th of 29: 14.97%
• Peru — 25th of 29: 14.86%
• Uruguay — 26th of 29: 13.48%

What this measures

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.

Limitations: Caution is required when using this indicator for cross-country comparison, since the countries do not always classify degrees and qualifications at the same International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) levels, even if they are received at roughly the same age or after a similar number of years of schooling. Also, certain educational programmes and study courses cannot be easily classified according to ISCED. This indicator only measures educational attainment in terms of level of education attained, i.e. years of schooling, and does not necessarily reveal the quality of the education (learning achievement and other impacts).

All 18 values

Educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) in nearby economies

• Bolivia — 30.7% (2023)
• Brazil — 22.67% (2024)
• Chile — 22.27% (2024)
• Colombia — 27.15% (2024)
• Costa Rica — 20.42% (2024)
• Dominican Republic — 12.38% (2015)
• Ecuador — 14.97% (2024)

More education data for Panama

• 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) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 451,308 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 96.94% (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 26.97% (2020)
• School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) — 53.7% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary) — 12.61% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross)

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 Panama's educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative)?

15% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1997?

It is down 2.76 percentage points from 17.76% in 1997. The highest value was 26.72% in 2019 and the lowest 10.45% in 2000.

How does Panama rank?

23rd highest of 29 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in educational attainment, at least completed short-cycle tertiary, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative) unusual for Panama?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.TER.CUAT.ST.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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