Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa

South Africa: Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in was 54.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
54.6%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
47th
of 77 countries
All-time high
64.6%
in 2006
All-time low
54.5%
in 2021
Years of data
11
2005–2024

Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa, 2005–2024

02040602005201420242005: 63.5 %2006: 64.6 %2016: 60.6 %2017: 60.6 %2018: 58.4 %2019: 57.5 %2020: 57.2 %2021: 54.5 %2022: 56.8 %2023: 54.6 %2024: 54.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa is 54.6%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 9.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa peaked at 64.6% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 54.5%, in 2021.

South Africa ranks 47th of 77 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in public institutions (%) in South Africa, 2005 to 2024.
Year % Change
2005 63.5%
2006 64.6% +1.7%
2016 60.6% -6.2%
2017 60.6% +0.0%
2018 58.4% -3.6%
2019 57.5% -1.6%
2020 57.2% -0.5%
2021 54.5% -4.6%
2022 56.8% +4.1%
2023 54.6% -3.8%
2024 54.6% -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 64.0% 63.5% 64.6% 2
2010s 59.3% 57.5% 60.6% 4
2020s 55.5% 54.5% 57.2% 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 44 Italy 56.3% compare
  2. 45 Bulgaria 56.3% compare
  3. 46 Austria 55.3% compare
  4. 48 Barbados 53.8% compare
  5. 49 Sierra Leone 53.4% compare
  6. 50 Armenia 53.3% compare

See the full ranking of 77 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa?
Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa was 54.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 64.6% in 2006.
What is the lowest teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 54.5% in 2021.
How does South Africa rank for teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in?
South Africa ranks 47th out of 77 countries with data for 2024.
Is teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/teaching-staff-compensation-as-a-percentage-of-total-expenditure-in-public-institutions-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in public institutions (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
77 places, 871 data points, 1998–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release