Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation was 50.7% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka, 2009–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2018, share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka stood at 50.7%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and down 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka peaked at 75.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 50.7%, in 2018.
That places Sri Lanka 106th out of 116 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 75.1% | — |
| 2010 | 75.5% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 73.5% | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 71.6% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 69.7% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | -12.4% |
| 2015 | 62.4% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 53.4% | -14.5% |
| 2018 | 50.7% | -5.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 75.1% | 75.1% | 75.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 64.7% | 50.7% | 75.5% | 8 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 103 Finland 55.2% compare
- 104 Bangladesh 55.0% compare
- 105 Barbados 52.3% compare
- 107 Gambia 50.4%
- 108 Timor-Leste 49.5% compare
- 109 Guinea-Bissau 48.3% compare
More education data for Sri Lanka
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 155,543 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 224,799 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,300 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.54 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.58 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -2.89 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0715 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka?
- Share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation in Sri Lanka was 50.7% in 2018, 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 75.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.7% in 2018.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation?
- Sri Lanka ranks 106th out of 116 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of total public education spending allocated to staff compensation rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.