Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay
Uruguay: Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government was 15.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay, 1984–2023
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 Uruguay is 15.6%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 4.5% on the previous year and up 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay peaked at 17.7% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1984.
That places Uruguay 56th out of 197 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay, year by year
| Year | UIS calculation | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 0.0% | — |
| 1985 | 0.0% | — |
| 1986 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | 0.0% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | — |
| 1994 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1998 | 0.0% | — |
| 2000 | 8.4% | — |
| 2001 | 9.2% | +10.4% |
| 2002 | 7.7% | -16.4% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | -11.4% |
| 2004 | 8.6% | +25.9% |
| 2005 | 9.5% | +10.0% |
| 2006 | 9.8% | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 15.2% | +54.1% |
| 2012 | 17.7% | +16.6% |
| 2013 | 14.4% | -18.7% |
| 2014 | 14.4% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 14.7% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 14.9% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 15.2% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 15.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 13.9% | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 14.8% | +6.4% |
| 2022 | 14.9% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 15.6% | +4.5% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 15.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 1.3× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 15.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 13.4%, 1.2× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +54.1% | 9.8% | 15.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 3 |
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 |
| 2000s | 8.6% | 6.8% | 9.8% | 7 |
| 2010s | 15.1% | 14.4% | 17.7% | 9 |
| 2020s | 14.8% | 13.9% | 15.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
More education data for Uruguay
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 25,390 (2010)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 2,520 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 57,513 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 54,922 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 337,808 (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 287,527 (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.35 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0849 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay?
- Expenditure on education as a percentage of total government in Uruguay was 15.6% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 17.7% in 2012.
- What is the lowest expenditure on education as a percentage of total government recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1984.
- How does Uruguay rank for expenditure on education as a percentage of total government?
- Uruguay ranks 56th out of 197 countries with data for 2023.
- Is expenditure on education as a percentage of total government rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uruguay 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release