Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland
Finland: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 12.1% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
12.1%
Change on year
up 1.4%
World rank
109th
of 197 countries
All-time high
12.9%
in 2012
All-time low
10.9%
in 1984
Years of data
40
1981–2022
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland, 1981–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
In 2022, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland stood at 12.1%.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and down 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland peaked at 12.9% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 10.9%, in 1984.
Finland ranks 109th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 12.5% | — |
| 1982 | 12.1% | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 11.7% | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 10.9% | -6.5% |
| 1985 | 11.6% | +6.0% |
| 1986 | 11.1% | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 11.2% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 11.3% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 11.5% | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 12.1% | +5.4% |
| 1991 | 12.9% | +6.5% |
| 1992 | 11.4% | -11.3% |
| 1993 | 12.4% | +9.1% |
| 1994 | 11.4% | -8.3% |
| 1995 | 11.9% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 11.8% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 11.8% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 12.2% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 12.6% | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 12.7% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 12.8% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 12.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12.2% | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 12.3% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 12.2% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 12.2% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 11.9% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 12.0% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 12.9% | +7.4% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 12.4% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 12.7% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 12.5% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 12.1% | -3.3% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 12.3% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 11.8% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 11.9% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 12.1% | +1.4% |
Finland compared with similar countries
- Finland's 12.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 1.0× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Finland's 12.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.9%, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11.5% | 10.9% | 12.5% | 9 |
| 1990s | 12.0% | 11.4% | 12.9% | 8 |
| 2000s | 12.4% | 11.9% | 12.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.3% | 12.0% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Finland
More education data for Finland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,938 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,144 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 94,036 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 89,318 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 543,350 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 360,117 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0641 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Finland was 12.1% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Finland?
- The highest recorded value was 12.9% in 2012.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Finland?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.9% in 1984.
- How does Finland rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Finland ranks 109th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Finland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Finland data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure (%) (UIS calculation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release