Current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand
New Zealand: Current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary was 83.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand, 2000–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand stood at 83.2%. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand peaked at 95.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 83.2%, in 2023.
That places New Zealand 118th out of 128 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 95.0% | — |
| 2013 | 91.0% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 89.7% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 88.5% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 87.2% | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 86.1% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 85.9% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 86.1% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 85.6% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 84.2% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 83.2% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 83.2% | -0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 83.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 92.8%, 90% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 83.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 93.0%, 90% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 95.0% | 95.0% | 95.0% | 1 |
| 2010s | 87.8% | 85.9% | 91.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 84.1% | 83.2% | 85.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More education data for New Zealand
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 36,426 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,020 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 56,552 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 53,804 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 562,417 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 383,018 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0724 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand?
- Current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary in New Zealand was 83.2% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 83.2% in 2023.
- How does New Zealand rank for current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary?
- New Zealand ranks 118th out of 128 countries with data for 2023.
- Is current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Current expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure in primary public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release