Government spending on education as a share of GDP in United States
United States: Government spending on education as a share of GDP was 5.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Government spending on education as a share of GDP in United States, 1960–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
United States recorded 5.4% for government spending on education as a share of gdp in 2021.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 9.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending on education as a share of gdp in United States peaked at 5.5% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 1960.
United States ranks 43rd of 199 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1990s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.1% | 5 |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 40 Tajikistan 5.4% compare
- 41 Palestine 5.4% compare
- 42 Norway 5.4% compare
- 44 South Korea 5.4% compare
- 45 Dominica 5.4% compare
- 46 Burkina Faso 5.3% compare
More education data for United States
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Official entrance age to pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.1% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 6 years (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 97.0% (2022)
- Primary education, teachers 1.78 million (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. average years of schooling 1.62 live births per woman (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 97.0% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending on education as a share of gdp in United States?
- Government spending on education as a share of gdp in United States was 5.4% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending on education as a share of gdp recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 1993.
- What is the lowest government spending on education as a share of gdp recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 1960.
- How does United States rank for government spending on education as a share of gdp?
- United States ranks 43rd out of 199 countries with data for 2021.
- Is government spending on education as a share of gdp rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending on education as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total annual general government spending on all levels of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP.