* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Public spending on education, percent of GDP, 2021:

The average for 2021 based on 27 countries was 5.01 percent. The highest value was in Sweden: 7.57 percent and the lowest value was in Ireland: 3.01 percent. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: percent; Source: UNESCO
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Education spending, percent of GDP, 2021 Global rank Available data
Sweden 7.57 1 1979 - 2021
Denmark 7 2 1970 - 2022
Finland 6.54 3 1970 - 2021
Belgium 6.36 4 1975 - 2021
Netherlands 5.51 5 1970 - 2022
Austria 5.49 6 1970 - 2022
Germany 5.45 7 1993 - 2022
France 5.43 8 1970 - 2021
Slovenia 5.37 9 1991 - 2021
Malta 5.36 10 1971 - 2021
Estonia 5.26 11 1992 - 2021
Cyprus 5.24 12 1975 - 2021
Spain 4.87 13 1970 - 2022
Czechia 4.8 14 1992 - 2021
Slovakia 4.8 15 1992 - 2021
Portugal 4.78 16 1973 - 2021
Bulgaria 4.73 17 1980 - 2021
Hungary 4.68 18 1970 - 2021
Poland 4.67 19 1991 - 2021
Latvia 4.62 20 1990 - 2021
Lithuania 4.25 21 1993 - 2021
Italy 4.22 22 1970 - 2021
Greece 4.08 23 1970 - 2021
Croatia 4.06 24 2000 - 2021
Luxembourg 3.72 25 1970 - 2022
Romania 3.32 26 1996 - 2021
Ireland 3.01 27 1971 - 2021



Definition: General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of GDP. It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.

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