CIMA Brief #30: Post-Secondary Education in Latin America: How Many Attend? How Many Graduate?

In Latin America, only 3 out of 10 young people aged 18 to 24 attend post-secondary education. While this marks progress since 2006, wide disparities persist: youth from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to access to post-secondary education than those in vulnerable conditions. Women continue to have higher attendance rates than men. Despite ongoing challenges, including a decline in 2020 due to the pandemic, the region has made progress in completion: 2 out of 10 young adults (25- to 34-year-old) have earned a higher education degree.