Education in El Salvador
Higher education
| Type of institution | Private | Public | Students 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universities | 23 | 1 | 180,629 |
| Specialised institutes | 6 | 7 | 14,297 |
| Technological institutes | 3 | 1 | 1,023 |
Source: Ministry of Education: higher education statistics 2024 (PDF, in Spanish); La Prensa Gráfica: higher education enrolment fell 2.3% in 2024, 11 October 20251,2
Of all students, 55% were on degree courses, 24% on technical courses and 21% on postgraduate courses. Technological institutes lost 20.6% of their students in 2024. Researcher Óscar Picardo told La Prensa Gráfica that of every 10 children who reach sixth grade, four finish secondary school and two go on to university.1,2
Education output fell 0.32% in real terms in 2025, one of the few activities to shrink that year, according to Central Reserve Bank figures.6
Skills for employers
- English: the EF index score of 523 is relevant for call centres and services exporters; the workforce guide has more on bilingual talent.
- Digital skills: under its agreement with the government, Google said in 2024 it would provide more than 90,000 laptops to fourth-grade pupils in public schools and has supplied Google Workspace for Education since 2020.
- International schools: five IB World Schools, and American, German and French schools in San Salvador, serve families of foreign staff.
Source: EF English Proficiency Index: El Salvador; La Prensa Gráfica: Google opens its office in El Salvador, 15 April 2024; International Baccalaureate: find an IB World School, El Salvador3,5,4
Frequently Asked Questions
How many universities does El Salvador have?
El Salvador has 41 higher education institutions: 24 universities, 13 specialised institutes and 4 technological institutes; only one university is public.
How many students are in higher education?
Enrolment was 195,949 students in 2024, down 2.3% in a year and 4.9% below the 2020 peak of 206,056.
How good is English in El Salvador?
El Salvador scores 523 in the EF English Proficiency Index, ranked 47th.
Sources
- Ministry of Education: higher education statistics 2024 (PDF, in Spanish)
- La Prensa Gráfica: higher education enrolment fell 2.3% in 2024, 11 October 2025 (in Spanish)
- EF English Proficiency Index: El Salvador
- International Baccalaureate: find an IB World School, El Salvador
- La Prensa Gráfica: Google opens its office in El Salvador, 15 April 2024 (in Spanish)
- Diario El Mundo: the Salvadoran economy grew 3.9% in 2025, driven by construction (in Spanish)
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
