Costa Rica’s higher education system reaffirmed its regional leadership by placing four national institutions among the top five universities in Central America in the 2026 ranking, according to the latest evaluation by international organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
This result reflects the dominant position of Costa Rican universities within the Central American region, highlighting both their academic reputation and graduate employability. QS’s annual assessment positions Costa Rica’s institutions as regional benchmarks in higher education, with a direct impact on professional training, scientific research, and national development.
Costa Rican dominance in the regional ranking
The University of Costa Rica (UCR) retained the top position in the regional ranking, consolidating its historical leadership within Central America’s university system. Its placement is supported by indicators related to scientific output and academic performance.
Second place was awarded to the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC), recognized for its focus on engineering and strong links to productive sectors, while the National University of Costa Rica (UNA) ranked third, completing the dominance of public universities in the top three.
The Universidad Latina de Costa Rica, a private institution, ranked fifth and was the only non-state university among the top five institutions listed.
This positioning contrasts with other regional institutions, as the University of San Carlos of Guatemala placed fourth, making it the only university outside Costa Rica within the top five evaluated by QS.
Evaluation criteria and methodology
The QS ranking is based on multiple indicators, including academic reputation, teaching quality, research output, graduate employability, and other criteria aimed at measuring the overall quality of higher education institutions.
The strong presence of Costa Rican universities in these evaluations reflects years of academic development and institutional efforts to strengthen higher education as a key driver of the country’s human capital.
Impact on Costa Rica’s higher education sector
Securing four positions in the regional top five has implications across various areas, including the attraction of international students and the ability to establish academic and scientific partnerships with foreign institutions.
This result also enhances Costa Rica’s international visibility in higher education, potentially influencing investment decisions, academic mobility, and global recognition of academic degrees.
Additionally, the performance of these institutions aligns with national development and competitiveness goals, where the training of skilled professionals and knowledge generation are considered strategic factors for multiple productive sectors.
Sources consulted
- Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) – Central America university rankings and evaluations for 2026.
- Costa Rican higher education system – Institutional information on public and private universities in Costa Rica.
