Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan
Japan: Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation was 65.8% in 2021. ▬ Flat
Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan stood at 65.8%.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan peaked at 70.8% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 64.7%, in 2020.
Japan ranks 79th of 116 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 69.7% | — |
| 1999 | 69.3% | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 69.5% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 69.8% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 70.5% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 69.8% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 69.3% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 70.8% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 69.6% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 70.3% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 70.1% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 66.4% | -5.2% |
| 2011 | 67.1% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 70.8% | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 68.4% | -3.4% |
| 2014 | 68.3% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 68.8% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 70.0% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 69.5% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 69.3% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 67.2% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 64.7% | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 65.8% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.5% | 69.3% | 69.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 70.0% | 69.3% | 70.8% | 9 |
| 2010s | 68.6% | 66.4% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 65.2% | 64.7% | 65.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More education data for Japan
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 627,777 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (1999)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.50 million (1999)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.46 million (1999)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.61 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.25 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.01 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0502 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan?
- Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Japan was 65.8% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 70.8% in 2012.
- What is the lowest share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.7% in 2020.
- How does Japan rank for share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation?
- Japan ranks 79th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Compensation for staff across all levels of education, both teaching and non-teaching, covers salaries, retirement contributions by employers, and additional benefits.