Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) by country
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General...
Countries reporting
193
Highest
31.9%
Mauritania
Lowest
0.0%
South Sudan
Median
12.7%
Years covered
46
1980–2025
Data points
5,722
What the numbers show
Government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) is currently reported for 193 countries. The highest value is 31.9% in Mauritania; the lowest is 0.0% in South Sudan.
The median across all reporting countries is 12.7%, and the mean is 13.4%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 9,490.
Over the past decade 77 countries rose and 110 fell. The largest increase was in Somalia (up 471.8%), and the largest decrease in South Sudan (down 99.9%).
Government expenditure on education, total: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauritania | 31.9% | 2024 | up 167.8% | volatile |
| 2 | Kenya | 28.5% | 2025 | up 64.4% | rising |
| 3 | Turkmenistan | 27.6% | 2024 | up 32.8% | rising |
| 4 | Solomon Islands | 25.2% | 2024 | down 23.8% | rising |
| 5 | Namibia | 24.6% | 2025 | up 8.9% | rising |
| 6 | Morocco | 23.3% | 2024 | up 5.5% | volatile |
| 7 | Honduras | 23.2% | 2018 | up 10.3% | rising |
| 8 | Bhutan | 22.2% | 2025 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 9 | Uzbekistan | 22.1% | 2024 | down 3.9% | falling |
| 10 | Kazakhstan | 22.0% | 2024 | up 36.5% | volatile |
| 11 | Botswana | 21.5% | 2020 | down 8.9% | rising |
| 12 | Senegal | 20.9% | 2025 | down 12.1% | rising |
| 13 | Dominican Republic | 20.9% | 2025 | down 6.4% | volatile |
| 14 | Sierra Leone | 20.5% | 2025 | up 36.2% | rising |
| 15 | Mozambique | 20.4% | 2021 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 16 | Costa Rica | 20.4% | 2023 | down 10.7% | rising |
| 17 | Burkina Faso | 20.3% | 2023 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 18 | Bolivia, Plurinational State of | 20.2% | 2024 | up 11.2% | rising |
| 19 | Kiribati | 20.1% | 2024 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 20 | Kyrgyzstan | 19.6% | 2024 | up 36.8% | rising |
| 21 | Vanuatu | 19.3% | 2024 | down 13.0% | falling |
| 22 | Tajikistan | 19.3% | 2024 | up 8.2% | rising |
| 23 | Eswatini | 19.2% | 2025 | up 17.0% | falling |
| 24 | Peru | 19.2% | 2024 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 25 | Syrian Arab Republic | 19.2% | 2009 | up 22.5% | volatile |
| 26 | South Africa | 19.1% | 2025 | up 2.4% | volatile |
| 27 | Belize | 18.9% | 2024 | down 12.3% | rising |
| 28 | Iran, Islamic Republic of | 18.8% | 2022 | up 8.2% | volatile |
| 29 | Micronesia, Federated States of | 18.6% | 2020 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 30 | Chile | 18.4% | 2022 | up 3.6% | rising |
| 31 | Sao Tome and Principe | 18.1% | 2024 | up 46.8% | rising |
| 32 | Benin | 18.0% | 2025 | up 3.1% | flat |
| 33 | Madagascar | 18.0% | 2019 | down 20.5% | rising |
| 34 | Zimbabwe | 17.9% | 2025 | down 39.3% | falling |
| 35 | Jamaica | 17.9% | 2024 | down 18.0% | rising |
| 36 | Mali | 17.8% | 2024 | down 2.2% | rising |
| 37 | Côte d'Ivoire | 17.6% | 2024 | down 19.0% | rising |
| 38 | Tunisia | 17.3% | 2025 | down 23.8% | volatile |
| 39 | Guatemala | 17.3% | 2025 | down 28.3% | rising |
| 40 | Cuba | 17.0% | 2022 | up 2.9% | flat |
| 41 | Tuvalu | 16.8% | 2025 | up 52.6% | volatile |
| 42 | Ethiopia | 16.7% | 2024 | down 35.6% | rising |
| 43 | Chad | 16.5% | 2023 | up 32.3% | rising |
| 44 | Curaçao | 16.4% | 2024 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 45 | Panama | 16.3% | 2024 | up 22.1% | volatile |
| 46 | Guinea-Bissau | 16.2% | 2013 | down 3.3% | falling |
| 47 | Israel | 16.1% | 2022 | up 14.1% | volatile |
| 48 | Malawi | 16.0% | 2024 | down 3.6% | volatile |
| 49 | Republic of Moldova | 16.0% | 2024 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 50 | Puerto Rico | 16.0% | 2025 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 51 | El Salvador | 15.9% | 2025 | up 10.2% | falling |
| 52 | Hong Kong, China | 15.7% | 2024 | down 10.7% | rising |
| 53 | Afghanistan | 15.7% | 2017 | down 8.3% | volatile |
| 54 | Iceland | 15.7% | 2022 | down 1.4% | rising |
| 55 | Saudi Arabia | 15.6% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 56 | Uruguay | 15.6% | 2023 | up 8.6% | volatile |
| 57 | Algeria | 15.5% | 2025 | down 3.4% | rising |
| 58 | Ecuador | 15.5% | 2025 | up 33.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Viet Nam | 15.4% | 2022 | down 17.8% | falling |
| 60 | Switzerland | 15.4% | 2022 | down 0.4% | rising |
| 61 | Sweden | 15.3% | 2022 | up 1.3% | rising |
| 62 | Philippines | 15.2% | 2025 | up 0.3% | rising |
| 63 | Congo | 14.7% | 2023 | up 0.0% | rising |
| 64 | Korea, Democratic People's Republic of | 14.6% | 2025 | up 3.8% | flat |
| 65 | Zambia | 14.5% | 2025 | down 13.3% | volatile |
| 66 | Djibouti | 14.5% | 2018 | down 35.7% | falling |
| 67 | Norway | 14.5% | 2022 | down 16.3% | rising |
| 68 | Russian Federation | 14.3% | 2018 | up 19.9% | rising |
| 69 | Mexico | 14.2% | 2022 | down 21.3% | rising |
| 70 | Gambia | 14.2% | 2025 | up 28.8% | volatile |
| 71 | Mauritius | 14.2% | 2024 | down 32.1% | volatile |
| 72 | Barbados | 14.2% | 2025 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 73 | Oman | 14.2% | 2022 | up 28.0% | volatile |
| 74 | Denmark | 14.2% | 2022 | up 13.2% | rising |
| 75 | India | 14.2% | 2022 | up 1.2% | rising |
| 76 | Malaysia | 14.1% | 2023 | down 27.5% | rising |
| 77 | Rwanda | 13.9% | 2025 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 78 | Kuwait | 13.8% | 2025 | up 23.0% | volatile |
| 79 | Cameroon | 13.8% | 2024 | up 7.4% | volatile |
| 80 | Fiji | 13.8% | 2025 | down 20.7% | rising |
| 81 | Mongolia | 13.8% | 2024 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 82 | British Virgin Islands | 13.6% | 2025 | up 2.5% | falling |
| 83 | Gabon | 13.6% | 2023 | up 55.3% | rising |
| 84 | Cape Verde | 13.4% | 2024 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 85 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 13.4% | 2024 | down 22.5% | rising |
| 86 | Argentina | 13.2% | 2023 | down 8.5% | volatile |
| 87 | Ghana | 13.2% | 2022 | down 50.4% | rising |
| 88 | Haiti | 13.2% | 2025 | down 9.5% | volatile |
| 89 | Colombia | 13.2% | 1999 | down 23.6% | rising |
| 90 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 13.1% | 2017 | up 37.3% | volatile |
| 91 | Estonia | 13.0% | 2022 | up 9.8% | rising |
| 92 | San Marino | 13.0% | 2023 | up 22.1% | volatile |
| 93 | Brazil | 12.9% | 2022 | down 13.2% | rising |
| 94 | Niger | 12.8% | 2023 | down 29.2% | volatile |
| 95 | Saint Lucia | 12.7% | 2025 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 96 | New Zealand | 12.7% | 2023 | down 18.2% | rising |
| 97 | Ukraine | 12.7% | 2021 | down 5.8% | flat |
| 98 | Australia | 12.6% | 2022 | — | volatile |
| 99 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 12.6% | 2024 | down 26.6% | falling |
| 100 | Thailand | 12.6% | 2025 | down 38.8% | volatile |
| 101 | Trinidad and Tobago | 12.6% | 2025 | up 2.2% | rising |
| 102 | Malta | 12.5% | 2022 | down 16.6% | volatile |
| 103 | Cyprus | 12.5% | 2022 | down 19.5% | volatile |
| 104 | Belarus | 12.3% | 2024 | down 0.5% | rising |
| 105 | Ireland | 12.3% | 2021 | down 0.0% | rising |
| 106 | Macau, China | 12.3% | 2022 | down 45.1% | rising |
| 107 | Georgia | 12.2% | 2024 | up 26.3% | rising |
| 108 | Andorra | 12.1% | 2025 | up 16.1% | rising |
| 109 | Finland | 12.1% | 2022 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 110 | Belgium | 12.0% | 2022 | up 2.9% | rising |
| 111 | Singapore | 12.0% | 2025 | down 32.2% | rising |
| 112 | Bulgaria | 12.0% | 2022 | up 12.1% | volatile |
| 113 | Netherlands | 12.0% | 2022 | up 6.3% | rising |
| 114 | Azerbaijan | 11.9% | 2025 | up 56.3% | volatile |
| 115 | China | 11.9% | 2023 | — | rising |
| 116 | Bangladesh | 11.9% | 2025 | down 1.3% | rising |
| 117 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 11.8% | 2021 | down 5.2% | rising |
| 118 | Lithuania | 11.7% | 2022 | down 10.2% | falling |
| 119 | Samoa | 11.7% | 2025 | down 20.3% | rising |
| 120 | Paraguay | 11.7% | 2025 | down 35.8% | rising |
| 121 | Togo | 11.6% | 2024 | down 25.5% | rising |
| 122 | Cambodia | 11.6% | 2025 | up 31.4% | rising |
| 123 | Comoros | 11.5% | 2025 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 124 | Grenada | 11.4% | 2025 | up 15.6% | flat |
| 125 | Brunei Darussalam | 11.4% | 2016 | up 115.8% | falling |
| 126 | Marshall Islands | 11.3% | 2022 | down 56.5% | falling |
| 127 | Türkiye | 11.3% | 2022 | down 11.9% | volatile |
| 128 | United States of America | 11.3% | 2021 | down 16.6% | falling |
| 129 | Slovenia | 11.1% | 2022 | down 2.3% | rising |
| 130 | Nicaragua | 11.0% | 2024 | down 52.2% | rising |
| 131 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 11.0% | 2025 | up 25.4% | falling |
| 132 | Aruba | 11.0% | 2021 | down 49.6% | falling |
| 133 | Egypt | 10.9% | 2008 | — | volatile |
| 134 | Albania | 10.9% | 2023 | down 10.5% | rising |
| 135 | Slovakia | 10.8% | 2022 | up 12.5% | rising |
| 136 | Sudan | 10.8% | 2009 | up 18.3% | flat |
| 137 | Nepal | 10.8% | 2025 | down 36.7% | falling |
| 138 | Seychelles | 10.7% | 2025 | down 31.5% | falling |
| 139 | Germany | 10.7% | 2022 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 140 | Canada | 10.7% | 2022 | down 12.8% | falling |
| 141 | Bahamas | 10.6% | 2025 | down 8.1% | falling |
| 142 | Indonesia | 10.6% | 2025 | down 48.1% | rising |
| 143 | Portugal | 10.4% | 2022 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 144 | Lesotho | 10.4% | 2024 | down 25.6% | falling |
| 145 | Burundi | 10.3% | 2025 | down 62.6% | rising |
| 146 | Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 10.3% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 147 | Czechia | 10.0% | 2022 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 148 | Central African Republic | 10.0% | 2023 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 149 | Poland | 10.0% | 2022 | down 10.9% | rising |
| 150 | Japan | 10.0% | 1998 | down 44.0% | falling |
| 151 | Austria | 10.0% | 2022 | down 6.6% | volatile |
| 152 | Latvia | 9.9% | 2022 | down 44.1% | volatile |
| 153 | Spain | 9.9% | 2022 | up 9.0% | flat |
| 154 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 9.8% | 2025 | down 30.9% | volatile |
| 155 | Jordan | 9.8% | 2024 | down 22.0% | volatile |
| 156 | Pakistan | 9.8% | 2023 | down 15.3% | volatile |
| 157 | Myanmar | 9.7% | 2019 | up 81.0% | volatile |
| 158 | Maldives | 9.6% | 2025 | down 15.8% | falling |
| 159 | Tonga | 9.3% | 2024 | down 15.8% | volatile |
| 160 | Qatar | 9.3% | 2020 | down 32.6% | flat |
| 161 | Guinea | 9.2% | 2025 | down 20.8% | rising |
| 162 | Palau | 9.1% | 2025 | up 1.4% | falling |
| 163 | France | 9.1% | 2022 | down 3.8% | falling |
| 164 | Romania | 8.8% | 2022 | up 4.0% | falling |
| 165 | Armenia | 8.7% | 2025 | down 18.3% | volatile |
| 166 | North Macedonia | 8.6% | 2002 | — | volatile |
| 167 | Lebanon | 8.6% | 2025 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 168 | Gibraltar | 8.6% | 2025 | up 21.6% | rising |
| 169 | Suriname | 8.6% | 2024 | down 24.8% | falling |
| 170 | Croatia | 8.5% | 2021 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 171 | Uganda | 8.5% | 2022 | down 25.9% | volatile |
| 172 | Luxembourg | 8.5% | 2022 | down 8.9% | volatile |
| 173 | Serbia | 8.4% | 2023 | down 17.6% | falling |
| 174 | Bahrain | 8.3% | 2025 | up 13.8% | falling |
| 175 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 8.2% | 2024 | down 29.9% | rising |
| 176 | Somalia | 8.1% | 2025 | up 471.8% | volatile |
| 177 | Hungary | 7.8% | 2022 | down 7.5% | volatile |
| 178 | Bermuda | 7.8% | 2017 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 179 | Monaco | 7.7% | 2023 | up 9.5% | rising |
| 180 | Italy | 7.4% | 2022 | down 7.4% | rising |
| 181 | Liberia | 7.4% | 2021 | up 42.1% | rising |
| 182 | Guyana | 7.2% | 2025 | down 59.6% | volatile |
| 183 | Sri Lanka | 7.2% | 2024 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 184 | Naoero | 6.6% | 2025 | up 6.4% | rising |
| 185 | Angola | 6.5% | 2025 | down 26.8% | rising |
| 186 | Greece | 6.4% | 2022 | down 10.0% | flat |
| 187 | Antigua and Barbuda | 5.9% | 2025 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 188 | Dominica | 5.8% | 2025 | down 43.2% | flat |
| 189 | Eritrea | 5.4% | 2006 | up 86.8% | rising |
| 190 | Timor-Leste | 4.3% | 2025 | down 49.9% | falling |
| 191 | Papua New Guinea | 3.5% | 2023 | down 51.1% | volatile |
| 192 | Nigeria | 3.0% | 2024 | down 67.0% | falling |
| 193 | South Sudan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 99.9% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income) 17.6%
- IDA blend 17.0%
- Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income) 16.8%
- Low income 16.7%
- Latin America & Caribbean 16.6%
- Early-demographic dividend 16.3%
- Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries) 16.3%
- IBRD only 16.1%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 15.7%
- Africa Eastern and Southern 15.4%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 15.4%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 15.4%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 15.4%
- Africa Western and Central 15.3%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 15.2%
- Upper middle income 15.1%
- Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries) 14.7%
- IDA & IBRD total 14.6%
- Pre-demographic dividend 14.5%
- Low & middle income 14.2%
- Other small states 14.2%
- Late-demographic dividend 14.1%
- Middle income 14.0%
- IDA total 14.0%
- World 14.0%
- Lower middle income 13.6%
- IDA only 13.2%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 13.1%
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 13.1%
- East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income) 13.1%
- East Asia & Pacific 13.0%
- Caribbean Small States 12.6%
- Least developed countries 12.5%
- Arab World 12.2%
- East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries) 12.2%
- High income 12.0%
- Post-demographic dividend 12.0%
- Europe & Central Asia 11.7%
- Small states 11.7%
- OECD members 11.5%
About this data
General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.