Government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia

Australia: Government expenditure per student, tertiary was 17.8% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
17.8%
Change on year
down 16.9%
World rank
94th
of 111 countries
All-time high
26.6%
in 1995
All-time low
17.8%
in 2016
Years of data
6
1995–2016

Government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia, 1995–2016

01020301995200520161995: 26.6 % of GDP per capita2012: 19.1 % of GDP per capita2013: 22.3 % of GDP per capita2014: 21.9 % of GDP per capita2015: 21.5 % of GDP per capita2016: 17.8 % of GDP per capita

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP per capita.

Analysis

The most recent figure for government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia is 17.8%, measured in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.

The figure is down 16.9% on the previous year and down 6.5% over five years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia peaked at 26.6% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 17.8%, in 2016.

That places Australia 94th out of 111 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.

Government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure per student, tertiary (% of GDP per capita) in Australia, 1995 to 2016.
Year % of GDP per capita Change
1995 26.6%
2012 19.1% -28.3%
2013 22.3% +16.9%
2014 21.9% -1.9%
2015 21.5% -1.8%
2016 17.8% -16.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 26.6% 26.6% 26.6% 1
2010s 20.5% 17.8% 22.3% 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 91 Guatemala 18.1% compare
  2. 92 Lithuania 18.0% compare
  3. 93 Belarus 17.9% compare
  4. 95 Latvia 17.7% compare
  5. 96 Argentina 16.9% compare
  6. 97 Bulgaria 16.6% compare

See the full ranking of 126 places →

More education data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia?
Government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia was 17.8% in 2016, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest government expenditure per student, tertiary recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 26.6% in 1995.
What is the lowest government expenditure per student, tertiary recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 17.8% in 2016.
How does Australia rank for government expenditure per student, tertiary?
Australia ranks 94th out of 111 countries with data for 2016.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Government expenditure per student, tertiary (% of GDP per capita). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure per student, tertiary in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 06 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-per-student-tertiary-percent-of-gdp-per-capita/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure per student, tertiary (% of GDP per capita)
Unit
% of GDP per capita
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
126 places, 1,539 data points, 1984–2018
Last refreshed

Government expenditure per student is the average general government expenditure (current, capital, and transfers) per student in the given level of education, expressed as a percentage of GDP per capita.