Non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa
South Africa: Non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure was 12.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa, 2001–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa is 12.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 160.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa peaked at 12.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 2004.
That places South Africa 33rd out of 76 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 7.1% | — |
| 2003 | 2.8% | -60.2% |
| 2004 | 2.6% | -7.8% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | +38.9% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -23.6% |
| 2008 | 6.0% | +115.5% |
| 2009 | 4.7% | -22.1% |
| 2010 | 5.0% | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 4.5% | -10.0% |
| 2014 | 4.6% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 5.2% | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | +19.6% |
| 2019 | 6.0% | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 9.2% | +54.3% |
| 2021 | 9.5% | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 9.4% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 11.9% | +26.6% |
| 2024 | 12.0% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.2% | 2.6% | 7.1% | 8 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 4.5% | 6.2% | 7 |
| 2020s | 10.4% | 9.2% | 12.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 30 Peru 13.9% compare
- 31 Côte d'Ivoire 13.3% compare
- 32 Sweden 12.9% compare
- 34 Cambodia 11.9% compare
- 35 Saint Lucia 11.8% compare
- 36 Switzerland 11.5% compare
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa?
- Non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in South Africa was 12.0% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 2004.
- How does South Africa rank for non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure?
- South Africa ranks 33rd out of 76 countries with data for 2024.
- Is non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 160.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Non-teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in secondary public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release