Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in United States
United States: Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS was 11.3% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
11.3%
Change on year
down 7.1%
World rank
130th
of 197 countries
All-time high
13.9%
in 2017
All-time low
11.3%
in 2021
Years of data
7
2015–2021
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in United States, 2015–2021
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services in United States is 11.3%, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.1% on the previous year and down 16.6% over ten years.
That places United States 130th out of 197 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 13.5% | — |
| 2016 | 13.2% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 13.9% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 13.1% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 13.3% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 12.2% | -8.4% |
| 2021 | 11.3% | -7.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 11.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.4%, 99% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 13.4% | 13.1% | 13.9% | 5 |
| 2020s | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United States
More education data for United States
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 1.74 million (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 419,732 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 4.34 million (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 4.14 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 25.35 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 23.83 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0708 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in United States?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in United States was 11.3% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 13.9% in 2017.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2021.
- How does United States rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- United States ranks 130th out of 197 countries with data for 2021.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).