Government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income

Upper middle income: Government expenditure on education, total was 3.6% in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
3.6%
Change on year
up 2.4%
Rank
22nd
of 46 groups
All-time high
4.6%
in 2009
All-time low
3.5%
in 2022
Years of data
25
1999–2023

Government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income, 1999–2023

0123451999201120231999: 3.9 % of GDP2000: 3.9 % of GDP2001: 3.8 % of GDP2002: 3.6 % of GDP2003: 3.6 % of GDP2004: 4 % of GDP2005: 4 % of GDP2006: 4 % of GDP2007: 4 % of GDP2008: 3.9 % of GDP2009: 4.6 % of GDP2010: 3.9 % of GDP2011: 4 % of GDP2012: 4.4 % of GDP2013: 4.2 % of GDP2014: 3.9 % of GDP2015: 3.9 % of GDP2016: 3.9 % of GDP2017: 3.9 % of GDP2018: 3.9 % of GDP2019: 3.9 % of GDP2020: 4.1 % of GDP2021: 3.8 % of GDP2022: 3.5 % of GDP2023: 3.6 % of GDP

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

Analysis

Upper middle income recorded 3.6% for government expenditure on education, total in 2023.

That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income peaked at 4.6% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2022.

That places Upper middle income 22nd out of 46 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Upper middle income, 1999 to 2023.
Year % of GDP Change
1999 3.9%
2000 3.9% -1.0%
2001 3.8% -0.4%
2002 3.6% -6.8%
2003 3.6% +1.4%
2004 4.0% +10.3%
2005 4.0% +0.5%
2006 4.0% -0.9%
2007 4.0% +1.6%
2008 3.9% -2.5%
2009 4.6% +16.2%
2010 3.9% -15.5%
2011 4.0% +2.8%
2012 4.4% +9.9%
2013 4.2% -3.3%
2014 3.9% -8.6%
2015 3.9% +1.8%
2016 3.9% -0.5%
2017 3.9% +0.3%
2018 3.9% -1.5%
2019 3.9% -0.1%
2020 4.1% +7.1%
2021 3.8% -8.9%
2022 3.5% -6.3%
2023 3.6% +2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.9% 3.9% 3.9% 1
2000s 3.9% 3.6% 4.6% 10
2010s 4.0% 3.9% 4.4% 10
2020s 3.8% 3.5% 4.1% 4

Countries ranked near Upper middle income

  1. 19 Republic of Moldova 6.6% compare
  2. 20 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.5% compare
  3. 21 Kuwait 6.4% compare
  4. 22 Finland 6.4% compare
  5. 23 Denmark 6.4% compare
  6. 24 Belgium 6.3% compare
  7. 25 Senegal 6.2% compare

See the full ranking of 242 places →

More education data for Upper middle income

All data for Upper middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income?
Government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income was 3.6% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Upper middle income?
The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2009.
What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in Upper middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2022.
How does Upper middle income rank for government expenditure on education, total?
Upper middle income ranks 22nd out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in Upper middle income?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Upper 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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Government expenditure on education, total in Upper middle income. 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/upper-middle-income/

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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.