Countries in South America Ranked by Pupil-teacher ratio (primary) (2018)
Pupil-teacher ratio (primary): each country's latest value (2013–2018), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Ecuador ranks #1 with 24.3 pupils per teacher. Colombia is second with 23.3 pupils per teacher, 4.1% behind. The top five are Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Chile. The median across all 8 is 17.8 pupils per teacher; Uruguay is last at 11 pupils per teacher. Ecuador's figure has fallen 12% since 1994 (27.6 pupils per teacher to 24.3 pupils per teacher in 2018).
- #1
- Ecuador · 24.3 pupils per teacher
- Median
- 17.8 pupils per teacher
- Coverage
- 8 countries in South America
- Data year
- 2018
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
About the top 8
#1 Ecuador
Ecuador ranks #1 on this list with 24.3 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Quito
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.29 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$130.32 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,125 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Guayaquil, Quito.
Also ranks #5 in homicide rate · #9 in gini index · #9 in women in ministerial positions share.
#2 Colombia
Colombia ranks #2 on this list with 23.3 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Bogotá
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 53.43 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$457.41 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 78.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Bogotá, Medellín, Cali.
Also ranks #1 in income share of richest 10% · #1 in gini index · #4 in women in ministerial positions share.
#3 Brazil
Brazil ranks #3 on this list with 20.2 pupils per teacher (2017).
- Capital
- Brasília
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 212.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,713 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro.
Also ranks #1 in new businesses registered · #2 in forest area · #3 in external debt stocks.
#4 Bolivia
Bolivia ranks #4 on this list with 17.8 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- La Paz, Sucre
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$64.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$5,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Also ranks #2 in real effective exchange rate index · #3 in bank branches per 100,000 adults · #4 in women in parliament share.
#5 Chile
Chile ranks #5 on this list with 17.8 pupils per teacher (2017).
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#6 Peru
Peru ranks #6 on this list with 17.4 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
#7 Suriname
Suriname ranks #7 on this list with 13.4 pupils per teacher.
- Capital
- Paramaribo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 639,850 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4.52 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,070 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65.8% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in forest area share · #3 in irrigated land share · #3 in water resources per capita.
#8 Uruguay
Uruguay ranks #8 on this list with 11 pupils per teacher (2017).
- Capital
- Montevideo
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 3.38 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$85.35 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$25,216 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 95.7% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Montevideo.
Also ranks #1 in atms per 100,000 adults · #3 in agricultural land share · #5 in suicide mortality rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Pupil-teacher ratio (primary): each country's latest value (2013–2018), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.PRM.ENRL.TC.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.