Government expenditure on education, total in Colombia

Colombia: Government expenditure on education, total was 5.3% in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
5.3%
Change on year
up 16.6%
World rank
51st
of 196 countries
All-time high
5.3%
in 2020
All-time low
1.7%
in 1980
Years of data
29
1979–2020

Government expenditure on education, total in Colombia, 1979–2020

23451979199920201979: 1.8 % of GDP1980: 1.7 % of GDP1981: 2.6 % of GDP1984: 3 % of GDP1985: 2.7 % of GDP1989: 2.7 % of GDP1998: 3.9 % of GDP1999: 4.4 % of GDP2000: 3.5 % of GDP2001: 3.7 % of GDP2002: 4.3 % of GDP2003: 4.3 % of GDP2004: 4.1 % of GDP2005: 4 % of GDP2006: 3.9 % of GDP2007: 4.1 % of GDP2008: 3.9 % of GDP2009: 4.8 % of GDP2010: 4.8 % of GDP2011: 4.5 % of GDP2012: 4.4 % of GDP2013: 4.9 % of GDP2014: 4.6 % of GDP2015: 4.5 % of GDP2016: 4.5 % of GDP2017: 4.5 % of GDP2018: 4.4 % of GDP2019: 4.5 % of GDP2020: 5.3 % of GDP

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for government expenditure on education, total in Colombia is 5.3%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.6% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Colombia peaked at 5.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1980.

Colombia ranks 51st of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.

Government expenditure on education, total in Colombia, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Colombia, 1979 to 2020.
Year % of GDP Change
1979 1.8%
1980 1.7% -1.4%
1981 2.6% +50.2%
1984 3.0% +15.7%
1985 2.7% -9.6%
1989 2.7% -0.4%
1998 3.9% +45.1%
1999 4.4% +13.1%
2000 3.5% -20.9%
2001 3.7% +5.6%
2002 4.3% +15.1%
2003 4.3% +1.3%
2004 4.1% -5.7%
2005 4.0% -1.4%
2006 3.9% -2.6%
2007 4.1% +4.2%
2008 3.9% -3.5%
2009 4.8% +21.3%
2010 4.8% +1.2%
2011 4.5% -7.6%
2012 4.4% -2.1%
2013 4.9% +11.6%
2014 4.6% -5.1%
2015 4.5% -3.4%
2016 4.5% +0.2%
2017 4.5% +1.3%
2018 4.4% -1.9%
2019 4.5% +1.4%
2020 5.3% +16.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 1.8% 1.8% 1.8% 1
1980s 2.6% 1.7% 3.0% 5
1990s 4.2% 3.9% 4.4% 2
2000s 4.1% 3.5% 4.8% 10
2010s 4.6% 4.4% 4.9% 10
2020s 5.3% 5.3% 5.3% 1

Countries ranked near Colombia

  1. 48 Tonga 5.3% compare
  2. 49 Slovenia 5.3% compare
  3. 50 Austria 5.3% compare
  4. 52 Timor-Leste 5.2% compare
  5. 53 Germany 5.2% compare
  6. 54 New Zealand 5.2% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for Colombia

All data for Colombia →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Colombia?
Government expenditure on education, total in Colombia was 5.3% in 2020, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Colombia?
The highest recorded value was 5.3% in 2020.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Colombia?
The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1980.
How does Colombia rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Colombia ranks 51st out of 196 countries with data for 2020.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Colombia?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Colombia data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on education, total in Colombia. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/colombia/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
242 places, 6,340 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.