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 62.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
62.1%
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
34th
of 72 countries
All-time high
77.5%
in 2017
All-time low
62.1%
in 2024
Years of data
8
2017–2024
Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa, 2017–2024
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 62.1%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.3% on the previous year and down 19.8% over ten years.
South Africa ranks 34th of 72 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 77.5% | — |
| 2018 | 74.4% | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 72.6% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 66.2% | -8.8% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 68.0% | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 64.9% | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 62.1% | -4.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 74.8% | 72.6% | 77.5% | 3 |
| 2020s | 64.9% | 62.1% | 68.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 31 Belgium 63.3% compare
- 32 Austria 62.8% compare
- 33 Afghanistan 62.5%
- 35 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 62.1% compare
- 36 Jamaica 61.6% compare
- 37 Kenya 61.4%
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 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 62.1% 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 77.5% in 2017.
- What is the lowest teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.1% in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for teaching staff compensation as a percentage of total expenditure in?
- South Africa ranks 34th out of 72 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 19.8%. 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 upper secondary public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release