Universidad Católica de El Salvador (UNICAES)
At a glance
| Fact | Universidad Católica de El Salvador |
|---|---|
| Name | Universidad Católica de El Salvador (UNICAES) |
| Founded | 13 April 1982 |
| Main campus | Santa Ana; regional centre in Ilobasco, Cabañas |
| Regional centres | Cabañas |
| Type | Private |
| Accredited (Ministry, 2024) | Yes |
| Students in 2024 | 8,599 (-1.0% on 2023) |
| Website | catolica.edu.sv |
Source: Universidad Católica de El Salvador: history; Ministry of Education: higher education statistics 2024, tables on pages 19, 28 and 29 (PDF, in Spanish)1,2
History
- 1982: founded on 13 April 1982 by the Diocese of Santa Ana. Its statutes were approved on 25 June 1982, and the Holy See approved it on 18 December 1982 as the Universidad Católica de Occidente.
- 1983 to 1990: the faculties of Sciences and Humanities (1983), Law (1987) and Engineering and Architecture (1990) were added, alongside Agronomy and Economics.
- 1997: the university moved in July to its own campus of more than 42 manzanas (about 29 hectares) in Santa Ana.
- 2008: the Ilobasco regional centre opened in the department of Cabañas.
Source: Universidad Católica de El Salvador: history1
Campuses and students
| City (department) | Site | Students 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana (Santa Ana) | Main campus | 6,789 |
| Cabañas (Cabañas) | Regional centre | 1,810 |
Source: Ministry of Education: higher education statistics 2024, tables on pages 19, 28 and 29 (PDF, in Spanish)2
In 2024 the Universidad Católica de El Salvador was number 6 of the 24 universities by enrolment, with 8,599 students, -1.0% on 2023. The Ministry counts students by the department where they study.2
Sources
- Universidad Católica de El Salvador: history (in Spanish)
- Ministry of Education: higher education statistics 2024, tables on pages 19, 28 and 29 (PDF, in Spanish)
Facts checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information.