Expenditure on primary education in Switzerland
Switzerland: Expenditure on primary education was 28.9% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on primary education in Switzerland, 1970–2016
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
In 2016, expenditure on primary education in Switzerland stood at 28.9%.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on primary education in Switzerland peaked at 48.0% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 25.3%, in 2008.
Switzerland ranks 98th of 149 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.
Expenditure on primary education in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 34.4% | — |
| 1971 | 29.2% | -15.1% |
| 1972 | 28.4% | -2.7% |
| 1973 | 28.5% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 27.9% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 46.5% | +66.7% |
| 1991 | 48.0% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 28.1% | -41.5% |
| 1994 | 27.9% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 28.0% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 27.4% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 32.5% | +18.6% |
| 1999 | 31.9% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 31.4% | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 31.5% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 31.0% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 30.0% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 30.0% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 29.7% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 29.2% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 25.3% | -13.9% |
| 2009 | 27.9% | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 28.0% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 28.9% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 29.3% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 29.7% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 29.6% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 28.5% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 28.9% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 29.7% | 27.9% | 34.4% | 5 |
| 1990s | 33.8% | 27.4% | 48.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 29.5% | 25.3% | 31.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.0% | 28.0% | 29.7% | 7 |
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 primary education in Switzerland?
- Expenditure on primary education in Switzerland was 28.9% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on primary education recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 48.0% in 1991.
- What is the lowest expenditure on primary education recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.3% in 2008.
- How does Switzerland rank for expenditure on primary education?
- Switzerland ranks 98th out of 149 countries with data for 2016.
- Is expenditure on primary education rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Expenditure on primary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expenditure on primary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.