Government expenditure per student, tertiary in European Union

European Union: Government expenditure per student, tertiary was 26.3% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
26.3%
Change on year
down 5.2%
Rank
6th
of 15 groups
All-time high
32.1%
in 1998
All-time low
23.3%
in 2004
Years of data
19
1998–2016

Government expenditure per student, tertiary in European Union, 1998–2016

01020301998200720161998: 32.1 % of GDP per capita1999: 30.6 % of GDP per capita2000: 28.2 % of GDP per capita2001: 27.2 % of GDP per capita2002: 25.3 % of GDP per capita2003: 24.9 % of GDP per capita2004: 23.3 % of GDP per capita2005: 23.5 % of GDP per capita2006: 23.6 % of GDP per capita2007: 24.6 % of GDP per capita2008: 24.8 % of GDP per capita2009: 26.6 % of GDP per capita2010: 24.6 % of GDP per capita2011: 26.4 % of GDP per capita2012: 24.6 % of GDP per capita2013: 26.3 % of GDP per capita2014: 26.9 % of GDP per capita2015: 27.7 % of GDP per capita2016: 26.3 % of GDP per capita

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

Analysis

European Union recorded 26.3% for government expenditure per student, tertiary in 2016.

The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and up 11.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure per student, tertiary in European Union peaked at 32.1% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 23.3%, in 2004.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

Government expenditure per student, tertiary in European Union, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure per student, tertiary (% of GDP per capita) in European Union, 1998 to 2016.
Year % of GDP per capita Change
1998 32.1%
1999 30.6% -4.5%
2000 28.2% -8.0%
2001 27.2% -3.6%
2002 25.3% -6.9%
2003 24.9% -1.6%
2004 23.3% -6.4%
2005 23.5% +0.7%
2006 23.6% +0.6%
2007 24.6% +4.2%
2008 24.8% +1.0%
2009 26.6% +7.2%
2010 24.6% -7.8%
2011 26.4% +7.5%
2012 24.6% -7.0%
2013 26.3% +7.0%
2014 26.9% +2.4%
2015 27.7% +3.2%
2016 26.3% -5.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 31.4% 30.6% 32.1% 2
2000s 25.2% 23.3% 28.2% 10
2010s 26.1% 24.6% 27.7% 7

Countries ranked near European Union

  1. 3 Burundi 308.8% compare
  2. 4 Niger 275.2% compare
  3. 5 Ethiopia 266.2% compare
  4. 6 Chad 186.7% compare
  5. 7 Mali 166.9% compare
  6. 8 Côte d'Ivoire 150.2% compare
  7. 9 Senegal 131.0% compare

See the full ranking of 126 places →

More education data for European Union

All data for European Union →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure per student, tertiary in European Union?
Government expenditure per student, tertiary in European Union was 26.3% 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 European Union?
The highest recorded value was 32.1% in 1998.
What is the lowest government expenditure per student, tertiary recorded in European Union?
The lowest recorded value was 23.3% in 2004.
How does European Union rank for government expenditure per student, tertiary?
European Union ranks 6th out of 15 groups with data for 2016.
Is government expenditure per student, tertiary rising or falling in European Union?
Over the last ten years it is up 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this European Union 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 European Union. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-per-student-tertiary-percent-of-gdp-per-capita/european-union/

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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.