Average IQ in Costa Rica
Costa Rica has an average IQ of 89, ranking #76 out of 195 countries globally. This is considered average on the worldwide scale.
Key Statistics
Education System in Costa Rica
Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948 and redirected funding to education and healthcare. The country has one of Latin America's highest education expenditures relative to GDP.
IQ and Economic Development
Costa Rica's GDP per capita of $22,360 indicates a middle-to-upper income economy. Research shows a moderate correlation (r ≈ 0.7) between national GDP and measured IQ, though this relationship is complex and bidirectional.
With 8.7 average years of schooling and a 6.7% GDP investment in education, Costa Rica invests heavily in its education system compared to global norms.
Countries with Similar IQ Scores
North America Rankings
| # | Country | Avg IQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 101 |
| 2 | United States | 100 |
| 3 | Mexico | 90 |
| 4 | Cuba | 88 |
| 5 | Panama | 87 |
| 6 | Dominican Republic | 85 |
| 7 | Honduras | 84 |
| 8 | Trinidad and Tobago | 83 |
| 9 | Guatemala | 83 |
| 10 | El Salvador | 83 |
Data Sources for Costa Rica
National IQ estimates are approximate and based on meta-analyses of available cognitive testing data (Becker, 2019; Lynn & Vanhanen, 2012; World Population Review, 2025). These scores reflect measured test performance and are influenced by education, nutrition, healthcare, and socioeconomic factors — they do not measure innate intelligence. Within-country variation is much larger than between-country differences. IQ tests developed in Western contexts may not translate fairly across all cultures. Interpret with appropriate caution.
See the full methodology on our main IQ by Country page for complete source descriptions and data quality notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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