Statizoid

Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP (%) by country

February 2026 Data Release

Countries reporting
173
Highest
2,104.0%
Sierra Leone
Lowest
0.0%
Madagascar
Median
0.8%
Years covered
56
1970–2025
Data points
3,953

What the numbers show

Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP (%) is currently reported for 173 countries. The highest value is 2,104.0% in Sierra Leone; the lowest is 0.0% in Madagascar.

The median across all reporting countries is 0.8%, and the mean is 13.0%.

Over the past decade 71 countries rose and 91 fell. The largest increase was in Sierra Leone (up 519,908.0%), and the largest decrease in Madagascar (down 100.0%).

Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Sierra Leone 2,104.0% 2023 up 519,908.0% volatile
2 Mauritania 4.6% 2024 up 1,631.0% volatile
3 Botswana 4.1% 2009 — volatile
4 Cuba 3.0% 2007 up 192.2% rising
5 Ethiopia 2.3% 2015 up 31.0% volatile
6 Puerto Rico 2.2% 2014 — rising
7 Denmark 2.2% 2022 down 0.7% rising
8 Austria 1.8% 2022 down 3.1% rising
9 Sweden 1.7% 2022 down 9.2% rising
10 United States of America 1.7% 2021 up 24.8% rising
11 Namibia 1.6% 2024 down 11.6% rising
12 Senegal 1.6% 2022 up 26.1% rising
13 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.6% 2021 up 30.8% rising
14 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.6% 2024 down 16.5% flat
15 Netherlands 1.6% 2022 down 0.0% falling
16 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1.6% 2009 down 10.6% flat
17 Belgium 1.5% 2022 up 7.0% rising
18 Saudi Arabia 1.5% 2023 — falling
19 Norway 1.5% 2022 down 19.8% rising
20 Burkina Faso 1.5% 2016 up 242.3% volatile
21 Tunisia 1.5% 2015 down 4.4% rising
22 Finland 1.5% 2022 down 27.3% rising
23 Burundi 1.5% 2013 up 93.9% rising
24 Iceland 1.3% 2022 down 9.5% rising
25 Oman 1.3% 2022 up 33.7% volatile
26 Maldives 1.3% 2023 up 140.9% rising
27 Germany 1.3% 2022 up 3.2% rising
28 Chile 1.3% 2022 up 34.7% rising
29 Canada 1.3% 2022 down 31.4% falling
30 India 1.3% 2022 up 2.9% rising
31 Syrian Arab Republic 1.2% 2009 up 37.7% falling
32 Uruguay 1.2% 2023 up 10.3% rising
33 Switzerland 1.2% 2022 down 4.1% rising
34 Ukraine 1.2% 2021 down 39.9% flat
35 Kuwait 1.2% 2006 down 40.2% volatile
36 Macau, China 1.2% 2023 up 32.5% rising
37 France 1.2% 2022 down 2.1% rising
38 Malta 1.2% 2022 down 14.1% rising
39 Costa Rica 1.2% 2023 down 13.5% falling
40 New Zealand 1.2% 2023 down 31.5% rising
41 South Africa 1.2% 2024 up 74.3% falling
42 Vanuatu 1.2% 2024 up 629.9% volatile
43 Barbados 1.1% 2024 down 47.0% rising
44 Slovenia 1.1% 2022 down 7.9% rising
45 Spain 1.1% 2022 up 6.5% rising
46 Pakistan 1.1% 2023 up 48.8% flat
47 Estonia 1.1% 2022 up 4.3% rising
48 Hong Kong, China 1.1% 2024 up 0.8% rising
49 Ecuador 1.1% 2024 down 49.7% volatile
50 Türkiye 1.1% 2022 down 33.0% rising
51 Jamaica 1.0% 2024 down 2.2% rising
52 Belarus 1.0% 2024 up 26.1% falling
53 Australia 1.0% 2022 — falling
54 Gabon 1.0% 2014 — volatile
55 Slovakia 1.0% 2022 up 7.1% rising
56 Argentina 1.0% 2023 down 10.7% rising
57 Brazil 1.0% 2022 down 3.3% rising
58 Morocco 1.0% 2009 up 23.0% rising
59 Nicaragua 1.0% 2023 down 16.7% volatile
60 Greece 1.0% 2022 up 33.0% volatile
61 Congo 1.0% 2023 up 72.8% falling
62 Poland 1.0% 2022 down 15.6% rising
63 Liberia 1.0% 2021 up 69.9% volatile
64 Republic of Moldova 0.9% 2023 down 17.9% falling
65 Croatia 0.9% 2021 down 2.3% rising
66 Azerbaijan 0.9% 2023 up 148.6% volatile
67 Honduras 0.9% 2015 down 1.3% rising
68 Italy 0.9% 2022 up 11.6% rising
69 Republic of Korea 0.9% 2022 up 1.8% volatile
70 Lithuania 0.9% 2022 down 38.4% falling
71 Tonga 0.8% 2022 — rising
72 Colombia 0.8% 1999 up 66.6% rising
73 Hungary 0.8% 2022 up 6.1% rising
74 Brunei Darussalam 0.8% 2016 up 86.0% volatile
75 China 0.8% 2023 — rising
76 Albania 0.8% 2023 up 6.0% rising
77 Mexico 0.8% 2022 down 14.5% rising
78 Ghana 0.8% 2014 down 45.4% volatile
79 Portugal 0.8% 2022 down 20.3% rising
80 Rwanda 0.8% 2024 down 14.9% rising
81 Peru 0.8% 2024 up 52.0% rising
82 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.8% 2022 up 135.9% volatile
83 Czechia 0.8% 2022 down 19.9% rising
84 Cyprus 0.8% 2022 down 41.4% volatile
85 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.8% 2024 up 12.2% falling
86 Serbia 0.8% 2023 down 35.2% falling
87 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.8% 2023 up 2.3% flat
88 Ireland 0.8% 2021 down 39.7% rising
89 British Virgin Islands 0.8% 2023 down 27.8% rising
90 Iran, Islamic Republic of 0.7% 2023 up 12.6% rising
91 Japan 0.7% 2021 up 4.3% rising
92 Bulgaria 0.7% 2022 up 17.9% rising
93 Israel 0.7% 2022 down 19.0% falling
94 Tanzania, United Republic of 0.7% 2014 up 8.8% volatile
95 Solomon Islands 0.7% 2023 — rising
96 Russian Federation 0.7% 2018 down 24.0% rising
97 Malawi 0.7% 2022 down 7.0% rising
98 Benin 0.7% 2015 up 24.8% rising
99 Paraguay 0.7% 2024 down 14.8% rising
100 Lebanon 0.7% 2013 down 3.7% rising
101 Romania 0.7% 2022 down 5.4% flat
102 Viet Nam 0.7% 2013 down 37.3% falling
103 Côte d'Ivoire 0.7% 2024 down 2.8% falling
104 Trinidad and Tobago 0.7% 2023 down 43.3% rising
105 Togo 0.7% 2017 up 25.4% falling
106 Philippines 0.7% 2025 up 94.5% rising
107 Niger 0.7% 2018 up 157.2% volatile
108 Latvia 0.6% 2022 down 54.4% rising
109 Afghanistan 0.6% 2021 up 103.4% rising
110 Eswatini 0.6% 2021 down 28.8% falling
111 Aruba 0.6% 2019 down 52.9% rising
112 Kenya 0.6% 2015 down 29.3% flat
113 Seychelles 0.6% 2021 down 38.2% volatile
114 Panama 0.6% 2023 down 11.9% rising
115 Thailand 0.6% 2023 down 10.2% rising
116 Malaysia 0.6% 2023 down 66.1% rising
117 Mali 0.6% 2021 down 24.7% falling
118 Papua New Guinea 0.5% 2021 down 18.2% volatile
119 Lesotho 0.5% 2018 down 88.0% volatile
120 Cook Islands 0.5% 2023 up 195.9% volatile
121 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 0.5% 2015 up 41.2% flat
122 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.5% 2023 up 17.0% rising
123 Singapore 0.5% 2023 down 50.5% rising
124 North Macedonia 0.5% 2002 down 41.2% falling
125 Tajikistan 0.5% 2015 up 90.5% rising
126 Uzbekistan 0.5% 2023 up 92.7% rising
127 Angola 0.5% 2023 up 52.7% rising
128 Cape Verde 0.5% 2023 down 35.5% falling
129 Luxembourg 0.4% 2022 up 4.5% volatile
130 Bhutan 0.4% 2023 down 24.1% volatile
131 Guinea 0.4% 2018 down 24.2% rising
132 Antigua and Barbuda 0.4% 2020 up 145.5% falling
133 Belize 0.4% 2023 down 44.2% rising
134 Kazakhstan 0.4% 2023 down 11.8% falling
135 Kyrgyzstan 0.4% 2024 up 44.0% falling
136 Guatemala 0.4% 2024 down 1.9% rising
137 Bangladesh 0.4% 2020 up 36.2% rising
138 Dominican Republic 0.3% 2023 down 11.1% falling
139 Mauritius 0.3% 2024 down 0.3% flat
140 Turkmenistan 0.3% 2024 up 18.3% rising
141 Zambia 0.3% 2017 down 25.6% falling
142 El Salvador 0.3% 2024 up 7.7% rising
143 Uganda 0.3% 2014 down 46.9% falling
144 Jordan 0.3% 2024 down 14.2% volatile
145 Sri Lanka 0.3% 2022 up 12.6% falling
146 Central African Republic 0.3% 2011 down 6.4% falling
147 Myanmar 0.3% 2019 up 94.3% falling
148 Saint Lucia 0.3% 2023 up 53.6% volatile
149 Curaçao 0.3% 2024 up 2.2% flat
150 Comoros 0.3% 2015 up 53.0% volatile
151 Cameroon 0.2% 2023 down 7.9% volatile
152 Chad 0.2% 2021 down 8.1% rising
153 Armenia 0.2% 2023 down 17.8% falling
154 San Marino 0.2% 2022 down 22.9% falling
155 Nepal 0.2% 2023 down 37.3% falling
156 Egypt 0.2% 2024 — falling
157 Qatar 0.2% 1978 up 2.6% rising
158 Georgia 0.2% 2024 down 30.3% volatile
159 Bermuda 0.2% 2023 down 34.9% volatile
160 Cayman Islands 0.2% 2023 up 75.6% rising
161 Indonesia 0.2% 2023 down 70.3% rising
162 Sao Tome and Principe 0.1% 2023 down 74.3% volatile
163 Mongolia 0.1% 2024 down 80.2% volatile
164 Andorra 0.1% 2023 up 4.4% rising
165 Gambia 0.1% 2023 down 39.4% volatile
166 Guyana 0.1% 2012 down 72.1% volatile
167 Haiti 0.1% 2021 — flat
168 Cambodia 0.1% 2013 up 67.3% rising
169 Monaco 0.1% 2023 — volatile
170 Lao People's Democratic Republic 0.0% 2023 down 90.8% volatile
171 Timor-Leste 0.0% 2023 down 95.8% volatile
172 Fiji 0.0% 2023 down 99.2% volatile
173 Madagascar 0.0% 2017 down 100.0% volatile

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Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP by country. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-tertiary-education-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-percent/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
173 places, 3,953 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release