Education in Santa Maria, Brazil: official figures
At the 2022 census 98.6% of children aged 6 to 14 in Santa Maria were attending school, the 139th highest of 320 major Brazilian cities and the 1854th lowest of Brazil's 5,570 municipalities (Brazil: 98.3%; Rio Grande do Sul state: 98.2%).
How many young children in Santa Maria attend pre-school or crèche?
85.5% of children aged 4 and 5 in Santa Maria attended pre-school or school in 2022 (the 103rd lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities; Brazil: 86.7%), and 31.6% of children under 4 attended a crèche or school (the 131st lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities; Brazil: 33.9%).
Source: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) · saved copyWhat is the Ideb score of Santa Maria?
Public primary schools in Santa Maria scored 5.9 on the Ideb, the Ministry of Education's 0-10 index of pass rates and test results, for the early years (1st to 5th grade) in 2025, the 115th lowest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil's public schools: 6.1). The score was 5.8 in 2023 and 5.7 in 2019.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyHow do 5th-graders in Santa Maria do in the Saeb tests?
In 2025, 95.4% of pupils in the 1st to 5th grades of Santa Maria's public schools passed the school year (Brazil: 98.0%), and 5th-graders averaged 225.8 in mathematics and 217.3 in Portuguese on the national Saeb tests (Brazil: 227.4 and 215.1).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyHow do public schools in Santa Maria score for 6th to 9th grade?
For the later years of primary school (6th to 9th grade), Santa Maria's public schools scored 5.2 on the 2025 Ideb, the 123rd highest of 320 major Brazilian cities (Brazil's public schools: 5.0), against 4.6 in 2023.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyAre city or state schools better in Santa Maria?
In the 6th to 9th grades, schools run by the city of Santa Maria scored 4.9 on the 2025 Ideb and schools run by Rio Grande do Sul state in the city scored 5.1.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education · saved copyHow Santa Maria compares with other cities in Brazil
Children aged 6-14 attending school (%) (2022)
Santa Maria ranks 139 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children aged 6-14 attending school (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 136 | Ribeirão Pires | 98.7% |
| 137 | Simões Filho | 98.7% |
| 138 | Mogi Guaçu | 98.7% |
| 139 | Santa Maria | 98.6% |
| 140 | Americana | 98.6% |
| 141 | Itabira | 98.6% |
| 142 | Sumaré | 98.6% |
Children aged 4-5 attending pre-school or school (%) (2022)
Santa Maria ranks 218 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children aged 4-5 attending pre-school or school (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 215 | Vespasiano | 85.6% |
| 216 | Vitória da Conquista | 85.6% |
| 217 | Jaboatão dos Guararapes | 85.5% |
| 218 | Santa Maria | 85.5% |
| 219 | Paulista | 85.4% |
| 220 | Itabuna | 85.4% |
| 221 | João Pessoa | 85.2% |
Young people aged 15-17 attending school (%) (2022)
Santa Maria ranks 47 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Young people aged 15-17 attending school (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | São José dos Campos | 88.7% |
| 45 | Pelotas | 88.7% |
| 46 | Joinville | 88.6% |
| 47 | Santa Maria | 88.5% |
| 48 | Cubatão | 88.2% |
| 49 | Belém | 88.2% |
| 50 | Natal | 88.2% |
Ideb, public schools, 1st-5th grade (2025)
Santa Maria ranks 206 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Ideb, public schools, 1st-5th grade |
|---|---|---|
| 203 | Bacabal | 6.0 |
| 204 | Aparecida de Goiânia | 5.9 |
| 205 | São Vicente | 5.9 |
| 206 | Santa Maria | 5.9 |
| 207 | Gravataí | 5.9 |
| 208 | Mossoró | 5.9 |
| 209 | Macaé | 5.9 |
Ideb, public schools, 6th-9th grade (2025)
Santa Maria ranks 123 of 320, highest first.
| Rank | City | Ideb, public schools, 6th-9th grade |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | Caruaru | 5.2 |
| 121 | Suzano | 5.2 |
| 122 | Taboão da Serra | 5.2 |
| 123 | Santa Maria | 5.2 |
| 124 | Governador Valadares | 5.2 |
| 125 | Jacareí | 5.2 |
| 126 | Hortolândia | 5.2 |
More on Santa Maria: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Brazil
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education: Ideb 2025, primary school late years (6th-9th grade): pass rates, Saeb scores and Ideb 2005-2025 by municipality and school network (spreadsheet from the zip download), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0a54ddd30107…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira (Inep), Ministry of Education: Ideb 2025, primary school early years (1st-5th grade): pass rates, Saeb scores and Ideb 2005-2025 by municipality and school network (spreadsheet from the zip download), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e132cd0ab831…)
- Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE): Censo Demográfico 2022: gross school attendance rate by age group (0-3, 4-5, 6-14 and 15-17), Brazil, states and municipalities (SIDRA table 10056), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4966e323affd…)
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