Puerto Rico (US): School enrollment, tertiary (% gross)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Puerto Rico (US)'s school enrollment, tertiary (% gross) fell 4.09 percentage points on 2022 (from 82.02% to 77.93%).

Across the 15 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2022), the average change was +0.23 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.06 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 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 6.76 percentage points in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.81 percentage points in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2014 to 2023 the straight-line trend is downward, about 2.51 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 65% of the movement over 10 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 2023, Puerto Rico (US) had the 13th highest value of the 38 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 Puerto Rico (US) in the 2023 ranking

• United Kingdom — 9th of 38: 80.41%
• Slovenia — 10th of 38: 80.08%
• Uruguay — 11th of 38: 79.95%
• Iceland — 13th of 38: 76.52%
• Canada — 14th of 38: 76.27%
• Italy — 15th of 38: 75.95%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

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

All 17 values

School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 107.82% (2023)
• Aruba — 14.07% (2024)
• Barbados — 50.8% (2025)
• Belize — 24.81% (2024)
• Brazil — 69.73% (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 29.56% (2024)
• Chile — 110.18% (2024)
• Colombia — 59.29% (2022)
• Costa Rica — 55.02% (2019)
• Cuba — 43.1% (2024)
• Dominican Republic

More education data for Puerto Rico (US)

• Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Compulsory education, duration (years) — 13 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 229,383 (2016)
• Secondary education, vocational pupils — 6,618 (2016)
• Secondary education, general pupils (% female) — 49.69% (2016)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 4.27% (2024)

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 Puerto Rico (US)'s school enrollment, tertiary (% gross)?

77.93% in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2007?

It is down 0.68 percentage points from 78.61% in 2007. The highest value was 107.5% in 2018 and the lowest 77.93% in 2023.

How does Puerto Rico (US) rank?

13th highest of 38 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, tertiary (% gross) unusual for Puerto Rico (US)?

In 2023, Puerto Rico (US)'s school enrollment, tertiary (% gross) fell 4.09 percentage points on 2022 (from 82.02% to 77.93%). Across the 15 yearly changes before that (2008 to 2022), the average change was +0.23 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.06 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.9 standard deviations below 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.TER.ENRR, 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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