China vs Sweden: Expenditure on tertiary education

China
24.0%
in 1999
Sweden
24.1%
in 2016
China rank
48th
Sweden rank
47th

Expenditure on tertiary education over time

  • China
  • Sweden
101520253035197119932016

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 24.1% against 24.0% in China, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 9 shared years of data; in 1979 it was China ahead.

China ranks 48th and Sweden ranks 47th of 160 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Sweden Difference Ahead
1970s 26.4% 13.1% 13.2% China
1980s 31.1% 10.5% 20.6% China
1990s 21.3% 25.7% 4.4% Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher expenditure on tertiary education, China or Sweden?
Sweden, at 24.1% against 24.0% in China as of 2016.
What is the difference in expenditure on tertiary education between China and Sweden?
0.1%, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Sweden?
9 years are reported by both, from 1979 to 1999.
How do China and Sweden rank globally for expenditure on tertiary education?
China ranks 48th and Sweden ranks 47th 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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China vs Sweden: Expenditure on tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/expenditure-on-tertiary-education-percent-of-government-expenditure-on-education/china/sweden/

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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.