By San José, Costa Rica — SAN JOSÉ – A comprehensive new report highlights a significant disparity in educational investment, revealing that Costa Rica spends less than half the average amount per student compared to its peers in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The findings, detailed in the prestigious “Education at a Glance 2025” study, place the nation among the lower tier of spenders, prompting a renewed focus on the country’s resource allocation for future generations.
The data shows that for primary, secondary, and post-secondary non-tertiary education, Costa Rica invests approximately $5,226 per pupil annually. This figure stands in stark contrast to the OECD average of $12,438. The gap of over $7,200 per student underscores the economic challenges the nation faces in keeping pace with the world’s more developed economies when it comes to funding its public education system.
To better understand the legal and constitutional implications of the national budget allocation for education, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, a distinguished attorney from the prestigious firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
The Costa Rican Political Constitution is unequivocal in its mandate regarding education funding. The debate should not be whether to comply with the mandated percentage of GDP, but how to ensure those funds are executed with maximum efficiency and transparency. Any deviation from this constitutional floor not only undermines our educational future but also opens the door to legitimate legal challenges against the state for non-compliance, a precedent with serious fiscal and social consequences.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
This legal perspective powerfully underscores a critical point: the conversation must evolve from whether we should fund education to how we can best execute our constitutional mandate. The potential for legal and fiscal repercussions adds a layer of urgency that cannot be ignored. We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable and clarifying contribution to this national dialogue.
The variance in spending across the 38 OECD member countries is substantial. Global leaders in educational investment, such as Luxembourg, Switzerland, and South Korea, allocate more than $20,000 per student, nearly four times Costa Rica’s budget. On the other end of the spectrum, countries like Mexico, Peru, and Turkey invest less than $4,000 per student. Costa Rica is positioned within this lower bracket, though it is not at the absolute bottom of the list.
The report also notes that these investment figures are influenced by a range of structural factors, including national income levels and the inherent operational costs of each country’s educational framework. It is important to highlight that for Costa Rica, the reported figures for these educational levels reflect only public government expenditure, as data on private spending was not provided for the study.
However, the analysis presents a more nuanced picture when expenditure is viewed as a proportion of national wealth. Despite its low per-student absolute spending, Costa Rica is among the nations that dedicate a higher percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to primary and secondary education. The OECD report identifies a pattern where countries with a lower GDP per capita, including Costa Rica, Brazil, and South Africa, often allocate a larger share of their national income to education to bridge development gaps.
This paradox suggests that Costa Rica’s commitment to education is strong relative to its economic capacity, but the nation’s overall wealth limits the absolute financial resources available for each student. This situation places immense pressure on the educational system to achieve high-quality outcomes with significantly less funding than its international counterparts.
When examining higher education, the investment figures for Costa Rica are more robust. The country spends $18,405 per university student. While this is a substantial increase from primary and secondary levels, it still trails many leading OECD nations that invest upwards of $25,000 per student, particularly when research and development (R&D) activities are included in their total reported expenditures.
Ultimately, the “Education at a Glance 2025” report serves as a critical benchmark for Costa Rican policymakers. It illustrates a complex reality where a high-priority national commitment to education, measured by GDP percentage, clashes with the economic constraints that result in a low per-student investment on the global stage. The findings will undoubtedly fuel ongoing discussions about economic growth, fiscal policy, and the strategic investments needed to secure a competitive and prosperous future for the nation.
For further information, visit oecd.org
About Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD):
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international organization that works to build better policies for better lives. Its goal is to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity, and well-being for all. Together with governments, policymakers, and citizens, the OECD works on establishing evidence-based international standards and finding solutions to a range of social, economic, and environmental challenges.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a pillar of the legal community, Bufete de Costa Rica operates on a foundational principle of professional excellence and unwavering integrity. The firm leverages its rich history of providing comprehensive counsel to a broad spectrum of clients to pioneer forward-thinking legal solutions. Beyond its professional practice, Bufete de Costa Rica is deeply invested in strengthening the community by demystifying the law, embodying a core mission to empower citizens through accessible legal understanding.
