Finland vs South Africa: Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$
Finland
4,172 millions
in 2022
South Africa
4,474 millions
in 2024
Finland rank
29th
South Africa rank
28th
Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ over time
- Finland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 4,474 millions against 4,172 millions in Finland, a difference of 302 millions.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Finland's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 32 shared years of data; in 1987 it was Finland ahead.
Finland ranks 29th and South Africa ranks 28th of 164 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Finland averaged higher in 4 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Finland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,236 millions | 1,108 millions | 128.51 millions | Finland |
| 1990s | 2,195 millions | 1,363 millions | 831.79 millions | Finland |
| 2000s | 3,791 millions | 1,395 millions | 2,396 millions | Finland |
| 2010s | 4,830 millions | 2,828 millions | 2,002 millions | Finland |
| 2020s | 4,344 millions | 4,767 millions | 422.45 millions | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher government expenditure on tertiary education, us$, Finland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 4,474 millions against 4,172 millions in Finland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ between Finland and South Africa?
- 302 millions, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Finland and South Africa?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2022.
- How do Finland and South Africa rank globally for government expenditure on tertiary education, us$?
- Finland ranks 29th and South Africa ranks 28th of 164 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ (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