Enrollment X-Ray series · October 2026 edition
Private schools in Mexico, from the inside.
Between March and October 2026 we ran 102 Enrollment X-Rays with owners and directors of private institutions in 69 cities. This is the edition: no names, with n, median before average, broken down by level. It is republished every six months.
102institutions
69cities
35primary schools
14high schools
42universities and graduate schools
The 19 data points in this edition
One data point per question
Each with chart, table, citation and social-ready version.
Enrollment X-Ray102 Enrollment X-Rays in 69 cities: a snapshot of private schools in Mexico (October 2026)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayThe median private school in Mexico runs at 46% of capacity (98 Enrollment X-Rays)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-Ray59,507 empty seats in 98 private schools: unused capacity worth $279.6 millionMXN a yearEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayHow many leads a private school in Mexico gets per day: 8 at the median, 15 at universitiesEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayReal conversion at private schools in Mexico: 2.4% of leads enroll (92 Enrollment X-Rays)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-Ray40% of families who come for a campus visit enroll: the problem is before the visitEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayWhat private schools in Mexico charge: median tuition of $3,300MXN a month (97 Enrollment X-Rays)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayWhat a student is worth to a private school: $144,000MXN in lifetime value (97 Enrollment X-Rays)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayPrivate school advertising: $8,000MXN a month and $1,381MXN per enrolled student (median)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayOne more point of conversion is worth $109,500MXN a year to the median private schoolEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayScholarships at private schools: 68% offer them, and the median has 40% of students on oneEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-Ray40% of students come through referrals; 70% of schools have no referral programEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-Ray71% of private schools run admissions on WhatsApp or Excel; only 29% have a CRMEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayAdmissions teams: 1.1 people at the median school, 6 at the median universityEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-Ray48% of private schools have no compensation plan for their admissions teamEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayWhen private schools in Mexico enroll the most students: July and August (71 Enrollment X-Rays)Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayWhy families don’t enroll, according to directors: 62% blame price, 38% admit no follow-upEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-Ray44% of directors rate their marketing as very good; 64% run below 60% occupancyEnrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
Enrollment X-RayWhat private schools charge beyond tuition: cafeteria 69%, graduations 60%, transportation 17%Enrollment X-Ray, SuperLeads (October 2026 edition)
The table everyone cites
Median by level
The typical school at each level, in a single table. Amounts in Mexican pesos.
| Median | All n = 102 | Primary schools n = 35 | High schools n = 14 | Universities n = 42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy | 46.2% | 60% | 51.6% | 40.8% |
| Empty seats | 267 | 125 | 216 | 640 |
| New leads per day | 8 | 3 | 5 | 15 |
| Lead-to-enrollment conversion | 2.4% | 3.2% | 2.3% | 2.5% |
| Close rate at the visit | 40% | 40% | 35% | 50% |
| Monthly tuition | $3,300MXN | $3,825MXN | $4,000MXN | $2,994MXN |
| Student lifetime value | $144,000MXN | $222,670MXN | $187,920MXN | $89,560MXN |
| Monthly advertising spend | $8,000MXN | $3,250MXN | $6,083MXN | $14,000MXN |
| Cost per lead | $41MXN | $50MXN | $42MXN | $43MXN |
| Cost to acquire a student | $1,381MXN | $1,200MXN | $1,162MXN | $1,800MXN |
| Extra revenue from +1 point of conversion (per year) | $109,500MXN | $39,420MXN | $101,324MXN | $158,629MXN |
| People in admissions and marketing | 3 | 1.1 | 3 | 6 |
| Arrive by referral | 40% | 50% | 50% | 30% |
| Years in operation | 17 | 21 | 28 | 18 |
The full edition
Every indicator, by group
Median, quartiles and n for every indicator. What directors believe (reasons, how they rate their own marketing) is presented as belief, not measurement.
All institutions · n = 102
The bar shows where the middle half of institutions sits (Q1 to Q3) and the line marks the median. Same axis for all four groups.
| Indicator | Median | Q1 – Q3 (the middle half) | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size and occupancy | |||
| Occupancy Current enrollment ÷ reported installed capacity. | 46.2% | 21.4% – 66.8% | 98 |
| Enrollment Students enrolled today. | 200 | 68 – 800 | 98 |
| Installed capacity Students the institution can hold, according to the director. | 600 | 218 – 1,500 | 98 |
| Empty seats Installed capacity − enrollment. | 267 | 100 – 715 | 98 |
| Demand and conversion | |||
| New leads per day Families or applicants who inquire, across all channels, as reported by the director. | 8 | 3.1 – 25 | 96 |
| New students last cycle New enrollments in the most recent cycle. | 67 | 25 – 300 | 95 |
| Lead-to-enrollment conversion New students last cycle ÷ leads per year (values ≤ 100% only). | 2.4% | 1.4% – 5.0% | 92 |
| Close rate at the visit Enrollments ÷ families who attended a visit, according to the director. | 40% | 21.5% – 65% | 86 |
| Money | |||
| Retention Average months a student stays, according to the director. | 48 months | 24 months – 60 months | 100 |
| Monthly tuition Reported average monthly tuition; peso-denominated institutions only. | $3,300MXN | $2,150 MXN – $5,000 MXN | 97 |
| Enrollment fee Reported enrollment fee; peso-denominated institutions only. | $3,750MXN | $2,050 MXN – $10,665 MXN | 44 |
| Student lifetime value Monthly tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $144,000MXN | $60,400 MXN – $254,995 MXN | 97 |
| Annual value of unused capacity Empty seats × tuition × months in the school year, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $794,625MXN | $313,312 MXN – $2,542,036 MXN | 92 |
| Extra revenue from +1 point of conversion (per year) Leads per year × 1% × tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $109,500MXN | $38,325 MXN – $259,712 MXN | 93 |
| Advertising and team | |||
| Monthly advertising spend Reported monthly spending on ads. | $8,000MXN | $3,000 MXN – $26,250 MXN | 86 |
| Cost per lead Advertising spend ÷ leads. | $41MXN | $20 MXN – $76 MXN | 86 |
| Cost to acquire a student Advertising spend ÷ new students. | $1,381MXN | $659 MXN – $3,331 MXN | 84 |
| Arrive by referral Share of students who arrive through referrals, according to the director. | 40% | 15% – 62.5% | 93 |
| Arrive through ads Share of students who arrive through ads, according to the director. | 50% | 20% – 80% | 93 |
| People in admissions and marketing Admissions director + marketing + community manager + advisors (fractions = part-time). | 3 | 1 – 6 | 98 |
| Admissions advisors People who handle leads. | 1 | 0 – 3 | 94 |
| Scholarships and institution | |||
| Students on scholarship Share of students on scholarship, among institutions that offer them. | 40% | 10% – 95% | 50 |
| Average scholarship Average scholarship discount. | 25% | 20% – 35% | 51 |
| Years in operation Age of the institution. | 17 | 8 – 30 | 90 |
| Campuses Number of campuses. | 1 | 1 – 2 | 74 |
Who does what
How they are distributed
Occupancy n = 98
64%22%13%
Under 60% · 64%60 to 80% · 22%Over 80% · 13%
Lead-to-enrollment conversion n = 92
41%34%16%9%
Under 2% · 41%2 to 5% · 34%5 to 10% · 16%Over 10% · 9%
Close rate at the visit n = 86
26%28%29%17%
Under 25% · 26%25 to 50% · 28%50 to 75% · 29%Over 75% · 17%
What they run admissions on
n = 83 institutions that answered
Why they think families didn’t enroll (director’s belief)
n = 29 institutions that answered
What they charge for beyond tuition
n = 35 institutions that answered
Peak enrollment months (more than one allowed)
n = 71 institutions that answered
Compensation plan for advisors
n = 69 institutions that answered
Occupancy as reported by the director
n = 69 institutions that answered
How they rate their own marketing (belief)
n = 57 institutions that answered
How they rate their closing hook (belief)
n = 51 institutions that answered
Referral program
n = 40 institutions that answered
Primary schools (no higher education) · n = 35
The bar shows where the middle half of institutions sits (Q1 to Q3) and the line marks the median. Same axis for all four groups.
| Indicator | Median | Q1 – Q3 (the middle half) | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size and occupancy | |||
| Occupancy Current enrollment ÷ reported installed capacity. | 60% | 31.2% – 75% | 35 |
| Enrollment Students enrolled today. | 170 | 96 – 303 | 35 |
| Installed capacity Students the institution can hold, according to the director. | 330 | 200 – 700 | 35 |
| Empty seats Installed capacity − enrollment. | 125 | 80 – 254 | 35 |
| Demand and conversion | |||
| New leads per day Families or applicants who inquire, across all channels, as reported by the director. | 3 | 1.2 – 9 | 33 |
| New students last cycle New enrollments in the most recent cycle. | 26 | 18 – 57 | 34 |
| Lead-to-enrollment conversion New students last cycle ÷ leads per year (values ≤ 100% only). | 3.2% | 1.6% – 6.4% | 32 |
| Close rate at the visit Enrollments ÷ families who attended a visit, according to the director. | 40% | 20% – 70% | 33 |
| Money | |||
| Retention Average months a student stays, according to the director. | 60 months | 48 months – 72 months | 35 |
| Monthly tuition Reported average monthly tuition; peso-denominated institutions only. | $3,825MXN | $2,675 MXN – $5,490 MXN | 34 |
| Enrollment fee Reported enrollment fee; peso-denominated institutions only. | $4,000MXN | $2,400 MXN – $26,000 MXN | 15 |
| Student lifetime value Monthly tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $222,670MXN | $158,475 MXN – $334,905 MXN | 34 |
| Annual value of unused capacity Empty seats × tuition × months in the school year, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $553,410MXN | $228,825 MXN – $903,670 MXN | 33 |
| Extra revenue from +1 point of conversion (per year) Leads per year × 1% × tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $39,420MXN | $13,797 MXN – $107,036 MXN | 33 |
| Advertising and team | |||
| Monthly advertising spend Reported monthly spending on ads. | $3,250MXN | $2,000 MXN – $9,500 MXN | 28 |
| Cost per lead Advertising spend ÷ leads. | $50MXN | $20 MXN – $94 MXN | 28 |
| Cost to acquire a student Advertising spend ÷ new students. | $1,200MXN | $810 MXN – $2,337 MXN | 28 |
| Arrive by referral Share of students who arrive through referrals, according to the director. | 50% | 30% – 78.8% | 32 |
| Arrive through ads Share of students who arrive through ads, according to the director. | 40% | 20% – 60% | 32 |
| People in admissions and marketing Admissions director + marketing + community manager + advisors (fractions = part-time). | 1.1 | 0.8 – 3 | 35 |
| Admissions advisors People who handle leads. | 0 | 0 – 1.2 | 34 |
| Scholarships and institution | |||
| Students on scholarship Share of students on scholarship, among institutions that offer them. | 20% | 10% – 37% | 15 |
| Average scholarship Average scholarship discount. | 20% | 10% – 30% | 17 |
| Years in operation Age of the institution. | 21 | 8 – 35 | 32 |
| Campuses Number of campuses. | 1 | 1 – 1 | 27 |
Who does what
How they are distributed
Occupancy n = 35
49%29%23%
Under 60% · 49%60 to 80% · 29%Over 80% · 23%
Lead-to-enrollment conversion n = 32
34%34%22%9%
Under 2% · 34%2 to 5% · 34%5 to 10% · 22%Over 10% · 9%
Close rate at the visit n = 33
33%24%27%15%
Under 25% · 33%25 to 50% · 24%50 to 75% · 27%Over 75% · 15%
What they run admissions on
n = 26 institutions that answered
Why they think families didn’t enroll (director’s belief)
n = 6 institutions that answered
What they charge for beyond tuition
n = 15 institutions that answered
Peak enrollment months (more than one allowed)
n = 24 institutions that answered
Compensation plan for advisors
n = 23 institutions that answered
Occupancy as reported by the director
n = 23 institutions that answered
How they rate their own marketing (belief)
n = 17 institutions that answered
How they rate their closing hook (belief)
n = 17 institutions that answered
Referral program
n = 15 institutions that answered
High schools (no higher education) · n = 14
The bar shows where the middle half of institutions sits (Q1 to Q3) and the line marks the median. Same axis for all four groups.
| Indicator | Median | Q1 – Q3 (the middle half) | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size and occupancy | |||
| Occupancy Current enrollment ÷ reported installed capacity. | 51.6% | 26.3% – 84% | 14 |
| Enrollment Students enrolled today. | 250 | 134 – 1,289 | 14 |
| Installed capacity Students the institution can hold, according to the director. | 800 | 280 – 1,394 | 14 |
| Empty seats Installed capacity − enrollment. | 216 | 100 – 550 | 14 |
| Demand and conversion | |||
| New leads per day Families or applicants who inquire, across all channels, as reported by the director. | 5 | 2.2 – 14.2 | 12 |
| New students last cycle New enrollments in the most recent cycle. | 54 | 19 – 248 | 13 |
| Lead-to-enrollment conversion New students last cycle ÷ leads per year (values ≤ 100% only). | 2.3% | 1.5% – 5.0% | 12 |
| Close rate at the visit Enrollments ÷ families who attended a visit, according to the director. | 35% | 20% – 75% | 13 |
| Money | |||
| Retention Average months a student stays, according to the director. | 60 months | 45 months – 60 months | 14 |
| Monthly tuition Reported average monthly tuition; peso-denominated institutions only. | $4,000MXN | $2,350 MXN – $7,490 MXN | 13 |
| Student lifetime value Monthly tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $187,920MXN | $123,300 MXN – $433,860 MXN | 13 |
| Annual value of unused capacity Empty seats × tuition × months in the school year, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $686,000MXN | $331,750 MXN – $3,294,040 MXN | 13 |
| Extra revenue from +1 point of conversion (per year) Leads per year × 1% × tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $101,324MXN | $27,498 MXN – $259,032 MXN | 12 |
| Advertising and team | |||
| Monthly advertising spend Reported monthly spending on ads. | $6,083MXN | $1,400 MXN – $18,000 MXN | 12 |
| Cost per lead Advertising spend ÷ leads. | $42MXN | $8 MXN – $99 MXN | 12 |
| Cost to acquire a student Advertising spend ÷ new students. | $1,162MXN | $320 MXN – $3,484 MXN | 12 |
| Arrive by referral Share of students who arrive through referrals, according to the director. | 50% | 33.8% – 78.8% | 14 |
| Arrive through ads Share of students who arrive through ads, according to the director. | 37.5% | 13.8% – 53.8% | 14 |
| People in admissions and marketing Admissions director + marketing + community manager + advisors (fractions = part-time). | 3 | 1 – 4.2 | 14 |
| Admissions advisors People who handle leads. | 0.9 | 0 – 2 | 14 |
| Scholarships and institution | |||
| Years in operation Age of the institution. | 28 | 8 – 43 | 14 |
| Campuses Number of campuses. | 1 | 1 – 2 | 9 |
Who does what
How they are distributed
Occupancy n = 14
50%21%29%
Under 60% · 50%60 to 80% · 21%Over 80% · 29%
Lead-to-enrollment conversion n = 12
42%33%25%
Under 2% · 42%2 to 5% · 33%5 to 10% · 25%Over 10% · 0%
Close rate at the visit n = 13
38%15%23%23%
Under 25% · 38%25 to 50% · 15%50 to 75% · 23%Over 75% · 23%
What they run admissions on
n = 9 institutions that answered
Peak enrollment months (more than one allowed)
n = 8 institutions that answered
Compensation plan for advisors
n = 7 institutions that answered
Occupancy as reported by the director
n = 8 institutions that answered
Universities and graduate schools · n = 42
The bar shows where the middle half of institutions sits (Q1 to Q3) and the line marks the median. Same axis for all four groups.
| Indicator | Median | Q1 – Q3 (the middle half) | n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size and occupancy | |||
| Occupancy Current enrollment ÷ reported installed capacity. | 40.8% | 18.2% – 62.5% | 39 |
| Enrollment Students enrolled today. | 490 | 105 – 955 | 39 |
| Installed capacity Students the institution can hold, according to the director. | 1,100 | 700 – 2,000 | 39 |
| Empty seats Installed capacity − enrollment. | 640 | 310 – 1,045 | 39 |
| Demand and conversion | |||
| New leads per day Families or applicants who inquire, across all channels, as reported by the director. | 15 | 6.4 – 42.5 | 41 |
| New students last cycle New enrollments in the most recent cycle. | 198 | 60 – 431 | 40 |
| Lead-to-enrollment conversion New students last cycle ÷ leads per year (values ≤ 100% only). | 2.5% | 1.5% – 4.5% | 40 |
| Close rate at the visit Enrollments ÷ families who attended a visit, according to the director. | 50% | 30% – 60% | 35 |
| Money | |||
| Retention Average months a student stays, according to the director. | 36 months | 34 months – 48 months | 42 |
| Monthly tuition Reported average monthly tuition; peso-denominated institutions only. | $2,994MXN | $1,850 MXN – $6,250 MXN | 41 |
| Enrollment fee Reported enrollment fee; peso-denominated institutions only. | $3,500MXN | $2,050 MXN – $12,090 MXN | 20 |
| Student lifetime value Monthly tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $89,560MXN | $59,700 MXN – $203,000 MXN | 41 |
| Annual value of unused capacity Empty seats × tuition × months in the school year, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $1,513,991MXN | $819,785 MXN – $3,637,500 MXN | 37 |
| Extra revenue from +1 point of conversion (per year) Leads per year × 1% × tuition × months of retention, per the Enrollment X-Ray model. | $158,629MXN | $72,447 MXN – $420,161 MXN | 40 |
| Advertising and team | |||
| Monthly advertising spend Reported monthly spending on ads. | $14,000MXN | $5,000 MXN – $50,000 MXN | 38 |
| Cost per lead Advertising spend ÷ leads. | $43MXN | $24 MXN – $66 MXN | 38 |
| Cost to acquire a student Advertising spend ÷ new students. | $1,800MXN | $480 MXN – $3,077 MXN | 37 |
| Arrive by referral Share of students who arrive through referrals, according to the director. | 30% | 10% – 60% | 39 |
| Arrive through ads Share of students who arrive through ads, according to the director. | 60% | 20% – 90% | 39 |
| People in admissions and marketing Admissions director + marketing + community manager + advisors (fractions = part-time). | 6 | 3 – 7.8 | 40 |
| Admissions advisors People who handle leads. | 3 | 1 – 5.8 | 40 |
| Scholarships and institution | |||
| Students on scholarship Share of students on scholarship, among institutions that offer them. | 50% | 20% – 95% | 27 |
| Average scholarship Average scholarship discount. | 30% | 20% – 40% | 26 |
| Years in operation Age of the institution. | 18 | 10 – 32 | 35 |
| Campuses Number of campuses. | 1 | 1 – 3 | 30 |
Who does what
How they are distributed
Occupancy n = 39
67%23%10%
Under 60% · 67%60 to 80% · 23%Over 80% · 10%
Lead-to-enrollment conversion n = 40
38%40%10%12%
Under 2% · 38%2 to 5% · 40%5 to 10% · 10%Over 10% · 12%
Close rate at the visit n = 35
17%29%34%20%
Under 25% · 17%25 to 50% · 29%50 to 75% · 34%Over 75% · 20%
What they run admissions on
n = 35 institutions that answered
Why they think families didn’t enroll (director’s belief)
n = 15 institutions that answered
What they charge for beyond tuition
n = 14 institutions that answered
Peak enrollment months (more than one allowed)
n = 30 institutions that answered
Compensation plan for advisors
n = 33 institutions that answered
Occupancy as reported by the director
n = 28 institutions that answered
How they rate their own marketing (belief)
n = 24 institutions that answered
How they rate their closing hook (belief)
n = 24 institutions that answered
Referral program
n = 16 institutions that answered
Cite this edition
Use it freely, with attribution
Enrollment X-Ray, October 2026 edition: private education in Mexico, by the numbers, SuperLeads Observatory (https://observatorio.superleads.mx/en/enrollment-x-ray/).
SuperLeads. (2026, October 30). Enrollment X-Ray, October 2026 edition: private education in Mexico, by the numbers. SuperLeads Observatory on Admissions and Private Education. https://observatorio.superleads.mx/en/enrollment-x-ray/
@misc{superleads2026enenrollmentxr,
author = {{SuperLeads}},
title = {Enrollment X-Ray, October 2026 edition: private education in Mexico, by the numbers},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
howpublished = {SuperLeads Observatory on Admissions and Private Education},
publisher = {SuperLeads},
url = {https://observatorio.superleads.mx/en/enrollment-x-ray/},
note = {License CC BY 4.0}
}<a href="https://observatorio.superleads.mx/en/enrollment-x-ray/">Enrollment X-Ray, October 2026 edition: private education in Mexico, by the numbers</a> — Source: <a href="https://observatorio.superleads.mx/en/">SuperLeads Observatory</a>.
License CC BY 4.0: use it, publish it and adapt it, even commercially, with attribution. How to cite
How to read it
Four things before you cite
- It’s our sample, not the country: institutions that requested a diagnostic.
- The median is the school in the middle; a single 7,000-student school can move the average.
- A K-12 school counts in both primary and high school; universities are separate.
- No figure based on fewer than 5 institutions is published.