Ireland vs South Africa: Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$
Ireland
4,061 millions
in 2021
South Africa
4,816 millions
in 2024
Ireland rank
31st
South Africa rank
28th
Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ over time
- Ireland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 4,816 millions against 4,061 millions in Ireland, a difference of 755 millions.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Ireland's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 31 shared years of data; in 1987 it was South Africa ahead.
Ireland ranks 31st and South Africa ranks 28th of 159 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 809.95 millions | 2,407 millions | 1,597 millions | South Africa |
| 1990s | 1,285 millions | 2,085 millions | 800.35 millions | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2,631 millions | 1,793 millions | 838.19 millions | Ireland |
| 2010s | 3,117 millions | 2,772 millions | 345.09 millions | Ireland |
| 2020s | 3,934 millions | 4,778 millions | 843.99 millions | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$, Ireland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 4,816 millions against 4,061 millions in Ireland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ between Ireland and South Africa?
- 755 millions, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2021.
- How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$?
- Ireland ranks 31st and South Africa ranks 28th of 159 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ (millions). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release