Government expenditure on education, total in Low & middle income
Low & middle income: Government expenditure on education, total was 3.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on education, total in Low & middle income, 1999–2023
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 Low & middle income is 3.5%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Low & middle income peaked at 4.0% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2002.
Low & middle income ranks 28th of 46 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Low & middle income, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 3.4% | — |
| 2000 | 3.3% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | -9.3% |
| 2004 | 3.1% | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 3.8% | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | +7.1% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -13.0% |
| 2011 | 3.6% | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 3.7% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 3.9% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 3.7% | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | +8.0% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 4.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Low & middle income
- 25 Senegal 6.2% compare
- 26 Eswatini 6.0% compare
- 27 South Africa 6.0% compare
- 28 Morocco 6.0% compare
- 29 Mozambique 6.0% compare
- 30 Israel 5.9% compare
- 31 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 5.9% compare
More education data for Low & middle income
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1043 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 27.98 million (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 554.22 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 26.3% (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 701.53 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 65.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Low & middle income?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Low & middle income was 3.5% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Low & middle income?
- The highest recorded value was 4.0% in 2009.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Low & middle income?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2002.
- How does Low & middle income rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Low & middle income ranks 28th out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Low & middle income?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Low & middle income 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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About this data
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.