Expenditure on tertiary education in Germany

Germany: Expenditure on tertiary education was 26.0% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
26.0%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
37th
of 160 countries
All-time high
28.1%
in 2011
All-time low
22.1%
in 1993
Years of data
16
1993–2016

Expenditure on tertiary education in Germany, 1993–2016

01020301993200420161993: 22.1 % of government expenditure on education1994: 22.2 % of government expenditure on education1995: 23 % of government expenditure on education1996: 23.4 % of government expenditure on education1998: 23.3 % of government expenditure on education2006: 25.2 % of government expenditure on education2007: 25.4 % of government expenditure on education2008: 26.7 % of government expenditure on education2009: 26.4 % of government expenditure on education2010: 27.2 % of government expenditure on education2011: 28.1 % of government expenditure on education2012: 26.8 % of government expenditure on education2013: 26.5 % of government expenditure on education2014: 26.6 % of government expenditure on education2015: 25.9 % of government expenditure on education2016: 26 % of government expenditure on education

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 tertiary education in Germany stood at 26.0%.

That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, expenditure on tertiary education in Germany peaked at 28.1% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 22.1%, in 1993.

That places Germany 37th out of 160 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Expenditure on tertiary education in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education) in Germany, 1993 to 2016.
Year % of government expenditure on education Change
1993 22.1%
1994 22.2% +0.6%
1995 23.0% +3.8%
1996 23.4% +1.3%
1998 23.3% -0.4%
2006 25.2% +8.3%
2007 25.4% +0.7%
2008 26.7% +5.1%
2009 26.4% -0.8%
2010 27.2% +2.7%
2011 28.1% +3.6%
2012 26.8% -4.8%
2013 26.5% -1.1%
2014 26.6% +0.4%
2015 25.9% -2.4%
2016 26.0% +0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 22.8% 22.1% 23.4% 5
2000s 25.9% 25.2% 26.7% 4
2010s 26.7% 25.9% 28.1% 7

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 34 Finland 26.5% compare
  2. 35 Nicaragua 26.0% compare
  3. 36 Switzerland 26.0% compare
  4. 38 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 25.6% compare
  5. 39 Malta 25.3% compare
  6. 40 Chile 25.2% compare

See the full ranking of 197 places →

More education data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is expenditure on tertiary education in Germany?
Expenditure on tertiary education in Germany was 26.0% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 28.1% in 2011.
What is the lowest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 22.1% in 1993.
How does Germany rank for expenditure on tertiary education?
Germany ranks 37th out of 160 countries with data for 2016.
Is expenditure on tertiary education rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany 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 tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Expenditure on tertiary education in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/expenditure-on-tertiary-education-percent-of-government-expenditure-on-education/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education)
Unit
% of government expenditure on education
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
197 places, 3,723 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Expenditure on tertiary education is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on education. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.