Expenditure on tertiary education in Malawi
Malawi: Expenditure on tertiary education was 23.1% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on tertiary education in Malawi, 1971–2016
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 tertiary education in Malawi stood at 23.1%.
The figure is down 4.6% on the previous year and down 22.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on tertiary education in Malawi peaked at 33.8% in 1987 and was at its lowest, 15.0%, in 1999.
That places Malawi 57th out of 160 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Expenditure on tertiary education in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 19.8% | — |
| 1972 | 29.8% | +50.3% |
| 1973 | 33.1% | +11.1% |
| 1974 | 29.7% | -10.5% |
| 1975 | 25.4% | -14.2% |
| 1976 | 23.0% | -9.7% |
| 1986 | 29.2% | +27.0% |
| 1987 | 33.8% | +15.8% |
| 1988 | 30.7% | -9.1% |
| 1989 | 15.9% | -48.2% |
| 1990 | 17.3% | +8.6% |
| 1995 | 27.1% | +56.8% |
| 1996 | 17.7% | -34.5% |
| 1999 | 15.0% | -15.4% |
| 2000 | 15.6% | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 15.3% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 29.8% | +95.4% |
| 2011 | 26.6% | -10.6% |
| 2013 | 28.4% | +6.5% |
| 2014 | 21.5% | -24.0% |
| 2015 | 24.2% | +12.3% |
| 2016 | 23.1% | -4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 26.8% | 19.8% | 33.1% | 6 |
| 1980s | 27.4% | 15.9% | 33.8% | 4 |
| 1990s | 19.3% | 15.0% | 27.1% | 4 |
| 2000s | 15.5% | 15.3% | 15.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 25.6% | 21.5% | 29.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More education data for Malawi
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 14,528 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1.25 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2193 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 4.75 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on tertiary education in Malawi?
- Expenditure on tertiary education in Malawi was 23.1% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 33.8% in 1987.
- What is the lowest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.0% in 1999.
- How does Malawi rank for expenditure on tertiary education?
- Malawi ranks 57th out of 160 countries with data for 2016.
- Is expenditure on tertiary education rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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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About this data
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.