Expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica

Jamaica: Expenditure on tertiary education was 19.6% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
19.6%
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
85th
of 160 countries
All-time high
25.1%
in 1993
All-time low
7.5%
in 1973
Years of data
34
1973–2018

Expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica, 1973–2018

5101520251973199520181973: 7.5 % of government expenditure on education1974: 9 % of government expenditure on education1975: 18.4 % of government expenditure on education1976: 18.2 % of government expenditure on education1977: 18.8 % of government expenditure on education1985: 19.2 % of government expenditure on education1986: 19.2 % of government expenditure on education1988: 19.5 % of government expenditure on education1989: 19 % of government expenditure on education1990: 17.8 % of government expenditure on education1991: 20.6 % of government expenditure on education1992: 22.3 % of government expenditure on education1993: 25.1 % of government expenditure on education1994: 19.3 % of government expenditure on education1995: 23.7 % of government expenditure on education1996: 21.8 % of government expenditure on education1997: 21.4 % of government expenditure on education2001: 21.3 % of government expenditure on education2002: 19.2 % of government expenditure on education2003: 14.8 % of government expenditure on education2004: 18.8 % of government expenditure on education2005: 22.1 % of government expenditure on education2007: 20 % of government expenditure on education2008: 15.7 % of government expenditure on education2009: 20.3 % of government expenditure on education2010: 21.8 % of government expenditure on education2011: 19.8 % of government expenditure on education2012: 17.6 % of government expenditure on education2013: 17.6 % of government expenditure on education2014: 17.5 % of government expenditure on education2015: 17.4 % of government expenditure on education2016: 18.2 % of government expenditure on education2017: 19.3 % of government expenditure on education2018: 19.6 % 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

The most recent figure for expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica is 19.6%, measured in 2018.

The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 24.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica peaked at 25.1% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 7.5%, in 1973.

Jamaica ranks 85th of 160 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica, year by year

Annual values for Expenditure on tertiary education (% of government expenditure on education) in Jamaica, 1973 to 2018.
Year % of government expenditure on education Change
1973 7.5%
1974 9.0% +20.6%
1975 18.4% +104.0%
1976 18.2% -1.1%
1977 18.8% +2.9%
1985 19.2% +2.1%
1986 19.2% +0.4%
1988 19.5% +1.2%
1989 19.0% -2.2%
1990 17.8% -6.3%
1991 20.6% +15.6%
1992 22.3% +8.2%
1993 25.1% +12.8%
1994 19.3% -23.4%
1995 23.7% +22.7%
1996 21.8% -8.0%
1997 21.4% -1.7%
2001 21.3% -0.3%
2002 19.2% -10.2%
2003 14.8% -22.8%
2004 18.8% +27.3%
2005 22.1% +17.3%
2007 20.0% -9.4%
2008 15.7% -21.4%
2009 20.3% +29.0%
2010 21.8% +7.7%
2011 19.8% -9.2%
2012 17.6% -11.5%
2013 17.6% +0.3%
2014 17.5% -0.7%
2015 17.4% -0.6%
2016 18.2% +4.8%
2017 19.3% +5.6%
2018 19.6% +1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 14.4% 7.5% 18.8% 5
1980s 19.2% 19.0% 19.5% 4
1990s 21.5% 17.8% 25.1% 8
2000s 19.0% 14.8% 22.1% 8
2010s 18.8% 17.4% 21.8% 9

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 82 Iceland 19.9% compare
  2. 83 Rwanda 19.8% compare
  3. 84 Slovenia 19.7% compare
  4. 86 Ireland 19.6% compare
  5. 87 Italy 19.1% compare
  6. 88 Brunei Darussalam 18.9% compare

See the full ranking of 197 places →

More education data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica?
Expenditure on tertiary education in Jamaica was 19.6% in 2018, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 25.1% in 1993.
What is the lowest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 7.5% in 1973.
How does Jamaica rank for expenditure on tertiary education?
Jamaica ranks 85th out of 160 countries with data for 2018.
Is expenditure on tertiary education rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is up 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Jamaica 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 Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/expenditure-on-tertiary-education-percent-of-government-expenditure-on-education/jamaica/

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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.