Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Switzerland
Switzerland: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 15.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Switzerland, 1981–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in UIS calculation.
Analysis
The most recent figure for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Switzerland is 15.4%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 5.5% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Switzerland peaked at 17.2% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1981.
That places Switzerland 60th out of 197 countries with data for 2022, putting it 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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.0% | — |
| 1982 | 0.0% | — |
| 1983 | 0.0% | — |
| 1984 | 15.6% | — |
| 1985 | 15.5% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 15.7% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 15.5% | -1.8% |
| 1988 | 16.2% | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 15.8% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 17.2% | +8.6% |
| 1991 | 17.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 16.2% | -5.9% |
| 1994 | 15.5% | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 15.3% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 15.3% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 14.6% | -4.8% |
| 1999 | 14.3% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 14.5% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 15.3% | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 15.2% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 16.2% | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 16.1% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 15.7% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 15.9% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 15.6% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 15.9% | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 15.5% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 15.3% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 15.4% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 15.5% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 15.1% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 15.3% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 15.4% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 15.5% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 15.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 15.7% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 14.3% | -8.9% |
| 2021 | 14.6% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 15.4% | +5.5% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 15.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 1.3× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 15.4% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 11.9%, 1.3× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.5% | 0.0% | 16.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 15.7% | 14.3% | 17.2% | 8 |
| 2000s | 15.6% | 14.5% | 16.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.4% | 15.1% | 15.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.8% | 14.3% | 15.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More education data for Switzerland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 68,266 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 5,583 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 94,990 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 89,549 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 636,381 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 556,945 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0618 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Switzerland?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Switzerland was 15.4% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 17.2% in 1990.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1981.
- How does Switzerland rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Switzerland ranks 60th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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