Expenditure on tertiary education in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Expenditure on tertiary education was 16.9% in 1998. ▼ Falling
Expenditure on tertiary education in Saudi Arabia, 1981–1998
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 Saudi Arabia is 16.9%, measured in 1998. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.8% on the previous year and down 50.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, expenditure on tertiary education in Saudi Arabia peaked at 36.6% in 1981 and was at its lowest, 16.9%, in 1998.
That places Saudi Arabia 100th out of 160 countries with data for 1998, putting it in the middle of the range.
Expenditure on tertiary education in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of government expenditure on education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 36.6% | — |
| 1982 | 36.2% | -1.1% |
| 1983 | 33.0% | -8.6% |
| 1984 | 34.1% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 20.9% | -38.7% |
| 1994 | 21.8% | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 19.8% | -9.1% |
| 1996 | 19.4% | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 16.9% | -12.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 35.0% | 33.0% | 36.6% | 4 |
| 1990s | 19.8% | 16.9% | 21.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 97 Mali 17.3% compare
- 98 Cape Verde 17.2%
- 99 Bermuda 17.0% compare
- 101 Zimbabwe 16.8% compare
- 102 Belarus 16.5%
- 103 Azerbaijan 16.4% compare
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is expenditure on tertiary education in Saudi Arabia?
- Expenditure on tertiary education in Saudi Arabia was 16.9% in 1998, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 1981.
- What is the lowest expenditure on tertiary education recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.9% in 1998.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for expenditure on tertiary education?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 100th out of 160 countries with data for 1998.
- Is expenditure on tertiary education rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 50.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.