Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant PPP$ in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant PPP$ was 56,000 millions in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
56,000 millions
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
5th
of 146 countries
All-time high
58,455 millions
in 2020
All-time low
18,503 millions
in 1991
Years of data
28
1991–2021
Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant PPP$ in United Kingdom, 1991–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in millions.
Analysis
In 2021, government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ in United Kingdom stood at 56,000 millions.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and up 39.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ in United Kingdom peaked at 58,455 millions in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18,503 millions, in 1991.
That places United Kingdom 5th out of 146 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant PPP$ in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | millions | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18,503 millions | — |
| 1992 | 20,275 millions | +9.6% |
| 1994 | 24,662 millions | +21.6% |
| 1995 | 26,222 millions | +6.3% |
| 1996 | 24,436 millions | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 23,367 millions | -4.4% |
| 1999 | 20,995 millions | -10.2% |
| 2000 | 19,011 millions | -9.5% |
| 2001 | 19,891 millions | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 27,476 millions | +38.1% |
| 2003 | 27,881 millions | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 27,695 millions | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 34,130 millions | +23.2% |
| 2006 | 31,917 millions | -6.5% |
| 2007 | 27,967 millions | -12.4% |
| 2008 | 25,856 millions | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 24,327 millions | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 29,798 millions | +22.5% |
| 2011 | 40,148 millions | +34.7% |
| 2013 | 44,315 millions | +10.4% |
| 2014 | 46,435 millions | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 44,577 millions | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 49,984 millions | +12.1% |
| 2017 | 53,214 millions | +6.5% |
| 2018 | 54,243 millions | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 55,005 millions | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 58,455 millions | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 56,000 millions | -4.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22,637 millions | 18,503 millions | 26,222 millions | 7 |
| 2000s | 26,615 millions | 19,011 millions | 34,130 millions | 10 |
| 2010s | 46,413 millions | 29,798 millions | 55,005 millions | 9 |
| 2020s | 57,228 millions | 56,000 millions | 58,455 millions | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2.37 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), annual growth rate 0.0164 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita 0.0346 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2.49 million (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), annual growth rate -0.0369 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in primary education, male (number), per capita 0.0364 units per person (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Enrolment in secondary education, both sexes (number), annual growth 1.49 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 281,128 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number), annual growth rate -0.4388 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ in United Kingdom?
- Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ in United Kingdom was 56,000 millions in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 58,455 millions in 2020.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 18,503 millions in 1991.
- How does United Kingdom rank for government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$?
- United Kingdom ranks 5th out of 146 countries with data for 2021.
- Is government expenditure on tertiary education, constant ppp$ rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 39.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant PPP$ (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release