Government expenditure on education, total in North America
North America: Government expenditure on education, total was 4.8% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on education, total in North America, 1971–2022
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 North America is 4.8%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 4.7% on the previous year and down 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in North America peaked at 7.7% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 4.6%, in 2013.
That places North America 4th out of 46 groups with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in North America, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 7.7% | — |
| 1972 | 7.6% | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 7.0% | -7.6% |
| 1974 | 6.7% | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 6.4% | -3.7% |
| 1976 | 6.7% | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 6.7% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 7.1% | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 6.7% | -5.4% |
| 1980 | 6.5% | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 6.4% | -0.8% |
| 1982 | 6.5% | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 6.9% | +5.5% |
| 1984 | 6.6% | -3.5% |
| 1985 | 6.2% | -6.5% |
| 1986 | 6.0% | -2.7% |
| 1987 | 6.3% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 6.2% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 6.1% | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 6.0% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 6.9% | +14.9% |
| 1992 | 6.7% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 7.7% | +13.8% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -13.3% |
| 1995 | 6.3% | -5.3% |
| 1998 | 5.5% | -12.9% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 5.4% | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 5.0% | -8.7% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 4.8% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4.6% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 4.8% | +4.6% |
| 2010 | 5.4% | +10.7% |
| 2011 | 5.3% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 4.6% | -12.8% |
| 2014 | 4.8% | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 4.8% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 5.0% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 4.9% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 5.1% | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 4.8% | -4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.0% | 6.4% | 7.7% | 9 |
| 1980s | 6.4% | 6.0% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | 5.5% | 7.7% | 8 |
| 2000s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.4% | 7 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.4% | 9 |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.1% | 3 |
Countries ranked near North America
More education data for North America
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 26.20 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.2703 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0687 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 64.5% (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 2.04 million (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 16.9% (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 28.14 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in North America?
- Government expenditure on education, total in North America was 4.8% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 7.7% in 1971.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.6% in 2013.
- How does North America rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- North America ranks 4th out of 46 groups with data for 2022.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North America 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.