Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ (millions) in Canada
Canada: Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ (millions) was 27,002 millions in 2022. ▲ Rising
Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ in Canada, 1971–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in millions.
Analysis
Canada recorded 27,002 millions for government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ in 2022.
That represents a change of up 9.5% on the previous year and down 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ in Canada peaked at 32,778 millions in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13,487 millions, in 1973.
That places Canada 7th out of 159 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 41 years of available data.
Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ (millions) in Canada, year by year
| Year | millions | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 13,563 millions | — |
| 1972 | 13,936 millions | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 13,487 millions | -3.2% |
| 1974 | 13,502 millions | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 13,753 millions | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 14,571 millions | +6.0% |
| 1977 | 14,560 millions | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 15,601 millions | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 16,103 millions | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 15,717 millions | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 15,984 millions | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 16,463 millions | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 17,214 millions | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 17,536 millions | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 17,136 millions | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 17,746 millions | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 18,878 millions | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 19,153 millions | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 20,299 millions | +6.0% |
| 1990 | 20,489 millions | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 20,862 millions | +1.8% |
| 1992 | 21,960 millions | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 22,781 millions | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 25,239 millions | +10.8% |
| 1995 | 25,473 millions | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 21,244 millions | -16.6% |
| 2007 | 29,326 millions | +38.0% |
| 2008 | 27,178 millions | -7.3% |
| 2009 | 30,075 millions | +10.7% |
| 2010 | 31,701 millions | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 32,296 millions | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 23,982 millions | -25.7% |
| 2014 | 30,730 millions | +28.1% |
| 2015 | 30,975 millions | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 30,948 millions | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 32,039 millions | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 32,557 millions | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 32,057 millions | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 32,778 millions | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 24,670 millions | -24.7% |
| 2022 | 27,002 millions | +9.5% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 27,002 millions is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,290 millions, 11.8× the median. (62 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ (millions) in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | +38.0% | 21,244 millions | 29,326 millions |
| 2013 | -25.7% | 32,296 millions | 23,982 millions |
| 2014 | +28.1% | 23,982 millions | 30,730 millions |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14,342 millions | 13,487 millions | 16,103 millions | 9 |
| 1980s | 17,612 millions | 15,717 millions | 20,299 millions | 10 |
| 1990s | 22,578 millions | 20,489 millions | 25,473 millions | 7 |
| 2000s | 28,859 millions | 27,178 millions | 30,075 millions | 3 |
| 2010s | 30,809 millions | 23,982 millions | 32,557 millions | 9 |
| 2020s | 28,150 millions | 24,670 millions | 32,778 millions | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More education data for Canada
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 95.11 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 95.01 (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ in Canada?
- Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ in Canada was 27,002 millions in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 32,778 millions in 2020.
- What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,487 millions in 1973.
- How does Canada rank for government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$?
- Canada ranks 7th out of 159 countries with data for 2022.
- Is government expenditure on tertiary education, constant us$ rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on tertiary education, constant US$ (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 41 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release