Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Canada
Canada: Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP was 1.3% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Canada, 1971–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Canada is 1.3%, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and down 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Canada peaked at 2.4% in 1971 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 2021.
Canada ranks 29th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.4% | — |
| 1972 | 2.4% | -1.2% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -8.3% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | -6.2% |
| 1975 | 2.0% | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 2.1% | +4.3% |
| 1977 | 2.0% | -5.6% |
| 1978 | 2.1% | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 1.9% | -5.9% |
| 1981 | 1.9% | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 1.9% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +8.0% |
| 1984 | 2.0% | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 1.9% | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 1.9% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 1.9% | +4.2% |
| 1988 | 1.9% | -2.5% |
| 1989 | 1.9% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 1.9% | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 1.9% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 2.1% | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.3% | +7.9% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -23.4% |
| 2007 | 1.8% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 1.6% | -9.2% |
| 2009 | 1.7% | +9.6% |
| 2010 | 1.9% | +8.6% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | -29.2% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | +25.2% |
| 2015 | 1.6% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 1.6% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 1.7% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 1.6% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -20.7% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | +3.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 9 |
| 1980s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.7% | 2.3% | 7 |
| 2000s | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.8% | 3 |
| 2010s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 133,275 (1996)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2011)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 291,075 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 273,465 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.70 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.43 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0607 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Canada?
- Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Canada was 1.3% in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 1971.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 2021.
- How does Canada rank for government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp?
- Canada ranks 29th out of 173 countries with data for 2022.
- Is government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release