Australia vs Finland: Expenditure on tertiary education

Australia
26.8%
in 2016
Finland
26.5%
in 2016
Australia rank
32nd
Finland rank
34th

Expenditure on tertiary education over time

  • Australia
  • Finland
101520253035197019932016

How they compare

Australia currently reports 26.8% against 26.5% in Finland, a difference of 0.3%.

The two have swapped places 6 times across 29 shared years of data; in 1979 it was Australia ahead.

Australia ranks 32nd and Finland ranks 34th of 160 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 3 and Finland in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Australia Finland Difference Ahead
1970s 24.0% 21.2% 2.9% Australia
1980s 29.8% 21.4% 8.4% Australia
1990s 30.1% 27.8% 2.3% Australia
2000s 22.4% 31.9% 9.5% Finland
2010s 25.3% 28.8% 3.5% Finland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher expenditure on tertiary education, Australia or Finland?
Australia, at 26.8% against 26.5% in Finland as of 2016.
What is the difference in expenditure on tertiary education between Australia and Finland?
0.3%, with Australia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Finland?
29 years are reported by both, from 1979 to 2016.
How do Australia and Finland rank globally for expenditure on tertiary education?
Australia ranks 32nd and Finland ranks 34th of 160 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Australia vs Finland: Expenditure on tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/expenditure-on-tertiary-education-percent-of-government-expenditure-on-education/australia/finland/

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About this data

Indicator
Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education)
Unit
% of government expenditure on education
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
197 places, 3,723 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Expenditure on tertiary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.