Expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia
Malaysia: Expenditure on tertiary education was 21.3% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia, 1971–2018
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of government expenditure on education.
Analysis
In 2018, expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia stood at 21.3%.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 35.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia peaked at 37.0% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 1971.
That places Malaysia 73rd out of 160 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 11.3% | — |
| 1979 | 13.9% | +23.1% |
| 1980 | 14.8% | +6.1% |
| 1981 | 15.6% | +5.3% |
| 1982 | 16.0% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 16.6% | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 18.0% | +8.3% |
| 1986 | 18.1% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 17.4% | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 21.4% | +23.4% |
| 1993 | 18.0% | -16.1% |
| 1994 | 18.1% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 20.0% | +10.4% |
| 1996 | 23.8% | +19.0% |
| 1997 | 29.0% | +21.9% |
| 2000 | 32.1% | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 34.3% | +6.8% |
| 2002 | 33.3% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 35.0% | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 33.4% | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 36.1% | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 33.0% | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 35.9% | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 34.5% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 37.0% | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 28.5% | -23.0% |
| 2013 | 30.5% | +7.2% |
| 2016 | 23.4% | -23.3% |
| 2017 | 21.0% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 21.3% | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.6% | 11.3% | 13.9% | 2 |
| 1980s | 16.6% | 14.8% | 18.1% | 7 |
| 1990s | 21.7% | 18.0% | 29.0% | 6 |
| 2000s | 34.1% | 32.1% | 36.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 28.0% | 21.0% | 37.0% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More education data for Malaysia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 217,105 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 475,967 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 460,041 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.64 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.06 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0859 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia?
- Expenditure on tertiary education in Malaysia was 21.3% 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 37.0% in 2011.
- What is the lowest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 1971.
- How does Malaysia rank for expenditure on tertiary education?
- Malaysia ranks 73rd out of 160 countries with data for 2018.
- Is expenditure on tertiary education rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.