Uruguay: School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)

Key figures

Since 1974 it is up 71.94% from 0.82 in 1974 (1.11% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 31 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2023, Uruguay's school enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) fell 0.00827 on 2022 (from 1.43 to 1.42).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2022), the average change was −0.00722 and a typical year strayed about 0.04 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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 0.05 in 1980 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.08 in 2005. 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 2023, Uruguay had the 8th highest value of the 36 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 Uruguay in the 2023 ranking

• Argentina — 4th of 36: 1.45
• Tunisia — 5th of 36: 1.45
• South Africa — 6th of 36: 1.42
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 8th of 36: 1.4
• Sri Lanka — 9th of 36: 1.4
• Malta — 10th of 36: 1.38

What this measures

Gender parity index for gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education is the ratio of women to men enrolled at tertiary level in public and private schools.

Limitations: The gross enrolment ratio is a general measure of participation in tertiary education. However, it does not account for variations in the duration of programs between countries or across different levels of education and fields of study. While it is somewhat standardized by measuring it relative to a 5-year age group for all countries, it may still underestimate participation, particularly in countries with underdeveloped tertiary education systems or where offerings are limited to initial tertiary programs, which are typically shorter than 5 years in duration.

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

All 19 values

School enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 1.45 (2023)
• Aruba — 1.57 (2024)
• Barbados — 1.49 (2025)
• Belize — 1.45 (2024)
• Brazil — 1.36 (2024)
• British Virgin Islands — 1.37 (2024)
• Chile — 1.15 (2024)
• Colombia — 1.15 (2022)
• Costa Rica — 1.18 (2019)

More education data for Uruguay

• 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 — 287,527 (2023)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 104.53% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 103.96% (2023)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 105.08% (2023)
• Secondary education, pupils — 337,808 (2023)
• School enrollment, secondary (% gross) — 119.11% (2023)

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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Questions people ask

What is Uruguay's school enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI)?

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

How has it changed since 1974?

It is up 71.94% from 0.82 in 1974 (1.11% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 1.5 in 2003 and the lowest 0.78 in 1975.

How does Uruguay rank?

8th highest of 36 economies with data for 2023.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) unusual for Uruguay?

In 2023, Uruguay's school enrollment, tertiary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) fell 0.00827 on 2022 (from 1.43 to 1.42). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2022), the average change was −0.00722 and a typical year strayed about 0.04 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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.ENR.TERT.FM.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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