Education in Santa Cruz, Argentina: official figures
84,793 students were enrolled in mainstream education in Santa Cruz in 2025: 11,092 in pre-school, 39,641 in primary, 30,885 in secondary and 3,175 in non-university higher education (0.8% of Argentina's 11.13 million).
Is school enrolment falling in Santa Cruz?
Mainstream enrolment in Santa Cruz went from 92,031 in 2019 to 84,793 in 2025, a change of -7.9% (Argentina: -3.5%); pre-school enrolment changed by -28.8% (Argentina: -19.8%).
Source: Ministerio de Educacion de la Nacion · saved copyHow many students in Santa Cruz go to public schools?
81.7% of students in Santa Cruz attended state-run schools and colleges in 2025, 9th highest of Argentina's 24 jurisdictions (Argentina: 71.1%); the rest attended privately run institutions.
Source: Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano · saved copyHow many students repeat a year in Santa Cruz?
4,573 of the 30,885 secondary school students in Santa Cruz in 2025 were repeating a year, 14.8%, 2nd highest of Argentina's 24 jurisdictions (Argentina: 5.9%); in 2019 the share was 17.1%.
Source: Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano · saved copyHow many pupils in Santa Cruz have a full school day?
7.0% of primary pupils in Santa Cruz attended schools with an extended or full school day in 2025, 4th lowest of Argentina's 24 jurisdictions (Argentina: 41.6%).
Source: Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano · saved copyHow many students finish secondary school in Santa Cruz?
3,807 students graduated from secondary school in Santa Cruz in 2024 (0.8% of Argentina's 461,497), while 245 secondary students left school during the year without transferring to another (Argentina: 51,076).
Source: Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano · saved copyHow many schools are there in Santa Cruz?
Santa Cruz had 307 school and college units in mainstream education in 2025, with 8,750 teaching and other staff posts.
Source: Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano · saved copyMore figures
- In primary school, 160 of 39,641 pupils in Santa Cruz were repeating a grade in 2025, 0.4%, 5th lowest of Argentina's 24 jurisdictions (Argentina: 2.0%; Santa Cruz in 2019: 1.2%). Source: Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano · saved copy
How Santa Cruz compares with other provinces
Secondary students repeating a year (%) (2025)
Santa Cruz ranks 2 of 24, highest first. Repeaters as a share of secondary enrolment, mainstream education.
| Rank | Region | Secondary students repeating a year (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe | 15.5% |
| 2 | Santa Cruz | 14.8% |
| 3 | San Juan | 11.9% |
| 4 | Salta | 11.4% |
| 5 | La Pampa | 11.2% |
| 6 | Chaco | 10.2% |
| 7 | Formosa | 9.8% |
Primary pupils repeating a grade (%) (2025)
Santa Cruz ranks 20 of 24, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Primary pupils repeating a grade (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | La Pampa | 0.7% |
| 18 | Tucuman | 0.5% |
| 19 | Cordoba | 0.4% |
| 20 | Santa Cruz | 0.4% |
| 21 | Neuquen | 0.4% |
| 22 | Rio Negro | 0.2% |
| 23 | Tierra del Fuego | 0.0% |
Primary pupils in extended or full-day schools (%) (2025)
Santa Cruz ranks 21 of 24, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Primary pupils in extended or full-day schools (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Tucuman | 12.0% |
| 19 | Mendoza | 10.9% |
| 20 | Misiones | 10.0% |
| 21 | Santa Cruz | 7.0% |
| 22 | Corrientes | 6.5% |
| 23 | Neuquen | 6.5% |
| 24 | San Luis | 5.3% |
Students in state-run schools (%) (2025)
Santa Cruz ranks 9 of 24, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Students in state-run schools (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Chubut | 82.8% |
| 7 | Santiago del Estero | 82.2% |
| 8 | Jujuy | 81.8% |
| 9 | Santa Cruz | 81.7% |
| 10 | Chaco | 81.1% |
| 11 | Salta | 79.3% |
| 12 | Neuquen | 79.0% |
Change in mainstream enrolment, 2019-2025 (%) (2025)
Santa Cruz ranks 21 of 24, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in mainstream enrolment, 2019-2025 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Santiago del Estero | -6.1% |
| 19 | Formosa | -7.7% |
| 20 | Chubut | -7.8% |
| 21 | Santa Cruz | -7.9% |
| 22 | Buenos Aires City | -8.3% |
| 23 | Catamarca | -10.2% |
| 24 | La Rioja | -10.4% |
More on Santa Cruz: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · Argentina
Sources
- Secretaria de Educacion, Ministerio de Capital Humano: Anuario Estadistico Educativo 2025 (Relevamiento Anual 2025): tables 2.1.3, 2.3.3, 2.3.5, 2.3.8, 2.4.3, 2.4.5, 2.4.12, 2.4.20 and 5.1, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ac96949a8c48…)
- Ministerio de Educacion de la Nacion: Anuario Estadistico Educativo 2019 (Relevamiento Anual 2019): tables 2.1.3, 2.3.3, 2.3.5, 2.4.3 and 2.4.5, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9e3340462cf2…)
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