All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa

South Africa: All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public was 52.3% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
52.3%
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
60th
of 91 countries
All-time high
91.2%
in 2001
All-time low
52.3%
in 2019
Years of data
6
2001–2019

All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa, 2001–2019

0204060801002001201020192001: 91.2 %2003: 84.3 %2014: 60.7 %2017: 53.2 %2018: 57.3 %2019: 52.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2019, all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa stood at 52.3%. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

That represents a change of down 8.6% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa peaked at 91.2% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 52.3%, in 2019.

South Africa ranks 60th of 91 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public institutions (%) in South Africa, 2001 to 2019.
Year % Change
2001 91.2%
2003 84.3% -7.6%
2014 60.7% -28.0%
2017 53.2% -12.3%
2018 57.3% +7.5%
2019 52.3% -8.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 87.8% 84.3% 91.2% 2
2010s 55.9% 52.3% 60.7% 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 57 Australia 53.3% compare
  2. 58 Cameroon 53.2% compare
  3. 59 Cyprus 52.6% compare
  4. 61 Italy 51.4% compare
  5. 62 Hungary 50.7% compare
  6. 63 Greece 50.4% compare

See the full ranking of 98 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa?
All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa was 52.3% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 91.2% in 2001.
What is the lowest all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 52.3% in 2019.
How does South Africa rank for all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public?
South Africa ranks 60th out of 91 countries with data for 2019.
Is all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/all-staff-compensation-as-percent-of-total-expenditure-in-tertiary-public-institutions/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in tertiary public institutions (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
98 places, 1,166 data points, 1995–2019
Last refreshed

All staff (teacher and non-teachers) compensation expressed as a percentage of direct expenditure in public educational institutions (instructional and non-instructional) of the specified level of education. Financial aid to students and other transfers are excluded from direct expenditure. Staff compensation includes salaries, contributions by employers for staff retirement programmes, and other allowances and benefits. Divide all staff compensation in public institutions of a given level of education (ex. primary, secondary, or all levels combined) by total expenditure (current and capital) in public institutions of the same level of education, and multiply by 100. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/