Government expenditure on education, total in World
World: Government expenditure on education, total was 3.6% in 2023. ▬ Flat
Government expenditure on education, total in World, 1999–2023
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
World recorded 3.6% for government expenditure on education, total in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.6% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on education, total in World peaked at 4.7% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.6%, in 2023.
That places World 23rd out of 46 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Government expenditure on education, total in World, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 4.0% | — |
| 2000 | 3.8% | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 4.1% | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 3.9% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 4.0% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 4.0% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 4.0% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 4.2% | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | +10.2% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | -10.1% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 4.0% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 4.3% | +7.7% |
| 2014 | 4.2% | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 4.2% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 4.2% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -8.0% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | -7.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 4.0% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near World
More education data for World
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 651.68 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 780.85 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0959 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 34.10 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 65.2% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 24.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on education, total in World?
- Government expenditure on education, total in World 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 2009.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on education, total recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.6% in 2023.
- How does World rank for government expenditure on education, total?
- World ranks 23rd out of 46 groups with data for 2023.
- Is government expenditure on education, total rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this World 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.