Government expenditure on education, total in Germany

Germany: Government expenditure on education, total was 5.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
5.2%
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
53rd
of 196 countries
All-time high
5.5%
in 2020
All-time low
4.3%
in 1994
Years of data
19
1993–2022

Government expenditure on education, total in Germany, 1993–2022

02461993200720221993: 4.4 % of GDP1994: 4.3 % of GDP1995: 4.4 % of GDP1996: 4.5 % of GDP1998: 4.4 % of GDP2008: 4.5 % of GDP2010: 5 % of GDP2011: 4.9 % of GDP2012: 4.8 % of GDP2013: 4.8 % of GDP2014: 4.8 % of GDP2015: 4.8 % of GDP2016: 4.8 % of GDP2017: 4.8 % of GDP2018: 4.9 % of GDP2019: 5 % of GDP2020: 5.5 % of GDP2021: 5.4 % of GDP2022: 5.2 % of GDP

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

Analysis

In 2022, government expenditure on education, total in Germany stood at 5.2%.

The figure is down 2.4% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Germany peaked at 5.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 1994.

That places Germany 53rd out of 196 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Germany, 1993 to 2022.
Year % of GDP Change
1993 4.4%
1994 4.3% -1.7%
1995 4.4% +2.4%
1996 4.5% +1.3%
1998 4.4% -0.7%
2008 4.5% +0.7%
2010 5.0% +11.7%
2011 4.9% -2.2%
2012 4.8% -1.1%
2013 4.8% +0.2%
2014 4.8% -0.3%
2015 4.8% -1.3%
2016 4.8% +0.0%
2017 4.8% +0.3%
2018 4.9% +2.2%
2019 5.0% +2.9%
2020 5.5% +9.7%
2021 5.4% -2.7%
2022 5.2% -2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 4.4% 4.3% 4.5% 5
2000s 4.5% 4.5% 4.5% 1
2010s 4.9% 4.8% 5.0% 10
2020s 5.4% 5.2% 5.5% 3

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 50 Austria 5.3% compare
  2. 51 Colombia 5.3% compare
  3. 52 Timor-Leste 5.2% compare
  4. 54 New Zealand 5.2% compare
  5. 55 Mongolia 5.2% compare
  6. 56 Estonia 5.2% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Germany?
Government expenditure on education, total in Germany was 5.2% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 5.5% in 2020.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 1994.
How does Germany rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Germany ranks 53rd out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany 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 Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-education-total-percent-of-gdp/germany/

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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.