Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP was 2.3% in 2015. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2015)
2.3%
Change on year
up 7.3%
World rank
5th
of 173 countries
All-time high
2.6%
in 2012
All-time low
0.2%
in 1971
Years of data
22
1971–2015

Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Ethiopia, 1971–2015

00.511.522.51971199320151971: 0.19 %1972: 0.243 %1977: 0.439 %1978: 0.323 %1979: 0.311 %1980: 0.364 %1981: 0.345 %1982: 0.368 %1983: 0.373 %1984: 0.327 %1985: 0.367 %1986: 0.34 %1993: 0.31 %1996: 0.407 %1997: 0.429 %2009: 1.7 %2010: 2 %2011: 2.5 %2012: 2.6 %2013: 1.9 %2014: 2.1 %2015: 2.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2015, government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Ethiopia stood at 2.3%.

The figure is up 7.3% on the previous year and up 31.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Ethiopia peaked at 2.6% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1971.

Ethiopia ranks 5th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Ethiopia, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP (%) in Ethiopia, 1971 to 2015.
Year % Change
1971 0.2%
1972 0.2% +28.0%
1977 0.4% +80.6%
1978 0.3% -26.5%
1979 0.3% -3.7%
1980 0.4% +17.3%
1981 0.3% -5.2%
1982 0.4% +6.6%
1983 0.4% +1.3%
1984 0.3% -12.4%
1985 0.4% +12.4%
1986 0.3% -7.5%
1993 0.3% -8.6%
1996 0.4% +31.0%
1997 0.4% +5.4%
2009 1.7% +303.7%
2010 2.0% +14.2%
2011 2.5% +24.6%
2012 2.6% +5.9%
2013 1.9% -26.3%
2014 2.1% +10.0%
2015 2.3% +7.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.3% 0.2% 0.4% 5
1980s 0.4% 0.3% 0.4% 7
1990s 0.4% 0.3% 0.4% 3
2000s 1.7% 1.7% 1.7% 1
2010s 2.2% 1.9% 2.6% 6

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 2 Mauritania 4.6% compare
  2. 3 Botswana 4.1% compare
  3. 4 Cuba 3.0% compare
  4. 6 Puerto Rico 2.2% compare
  5. 7 Denmark 2.2% compare
  6. 8 Austria 1.8% compare

See the full ranking of 173 places →

More education data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Ethiopia?
Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp in Ethiopia was 2.3% in 2015, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2012.
What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1971.
How does Ethiopia rank for government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp?
Ethiopia ranks 5th out of 173 countries with data for 2015.
Is government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of gdp rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Ethiopia 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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Government expenditure on tertiary education as a percentage of GDP in Ethiopia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-tertiary-education-as-a-percentage-of-gdp-percent/ethiopia/

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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