Government expenditure on education, total in Switzerland
Switzerland: Government expenditure on education, total was 4.9% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on education, total in Switzerland, 1970–2022
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 4.9% for government expenditure on education, total in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Switzerland peaked at 5.4% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 1970.
That places Switzerland 68th 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 51 years of available data.
Government expenditure on education, total in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3.4% | — |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 3.9% | +7.0% |
| 1974 | 4.1% | +5.1% |
| 1975 | 4.4% | +6.3% |
| 1976 | 4.5% | +2.3% |
| 1977 | 4.5% | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 4.4% | -2.8% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 4.2% | -2.6% |
| 1981 | 4.2% | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 4.3% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 4.4% | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 4.2% | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 4.2% | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 4.2% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 4.2% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 4.1% | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 4.4% | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 4.5% | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 4.9% | +8.8% |
| 1994 | 4.9% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 4.9% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 4.8% | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 4.8% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 4.7% | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 5.2% | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 5.4% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 5.1% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 4.8% | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 4.6% | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 4.8% | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 4.9% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 4.8% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 4.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 4.9% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 4.9% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 5.0% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 5.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 4.9% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 5.0% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 5.3% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -4.8% |
| 2022 | 4.9% | -3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.1% | 3.4% | 4.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.8% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 8 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.6% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.3% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More education data for Switzerland
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 68,266 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 5,583 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 94,990 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 89,549 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 636,381 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 556,945 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0618 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in Switzerland?
- Government expenditure on education, total in Switzerland was 4.9% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2003.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 1970.
- How does Switzerland rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- Switzerland ranks 68th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.