Global education finance indicator
Education Spending as Percent of GDP by Country 2026
Government expenditure on education is reported as a share of gross domestic product. The 2026 title is the publication year; country values use the latest available World Bank / UNESCO UIS source year, not a 2026 estimate.
Spending Statistics
Snapshot metrics are calculated from the country/economy rows included in the HTML table.
Highest latest reported value
9.0%
Algeria, 2024
Lowest latest reported value
1.6%
Cayman Islands, 2023
Country/economy rows
48
Rows with latest reported values in this module
Top-to-lowest spread
7.4 pp
Difference between 9.0% and 1.6%
Education Spending Ranking
The chart ranks the highest latest reported values in the table. The full HTML table remains the source of the country rows.
Highest latest reported government education expenditure as % of GDP
Latest available source year varies by country.
Values are percentages of GDP and are not per-student spending amounts.
Chart analysis
- Algeria has the highest latest value in the chart at 9.0% of GDP.
- Botswana and Cuba both show 8.4%, but their latest source years differ.
- The highest 15 values shown range from 9.0% to 4.9%.
- Several high-ranking values come from Latin America & Caribbean economies in the included table.
- Latest source years differ, so ranks compare latest reported observations rather than one common reference year.
Country Spending Table
Government expenditure on education, total, expressed as a percentage of GDP. “Not reported” means no value is shown for that anchor year in the selected source view.
| Rank | Country | Code | Region | Income group | Latest value | Year | 1990 | 2020 | 2022 | Change vs 2020 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Algeria | DZA | Middle East & North Africa | Upper-middle income | 9.0% | 2024 | not reported | 6.2% | 5.6% | 2.8% | WDI / UIS |
| 2 | Botswana | BWA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Upper-middle income | 8.4% | 2019 | 5.7% | 8.1% | not reported | 0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 3 | Cuba | CUB | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper-middle income | 8.4% | 2022 | not reported | 11.5% | 8.4% | -3.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 4 | Bolivia | BOL | Latin America & Caribbean | Lower-middle income | 7.5% | 2024 | not reported | 8.4% | 7.9% | -0.9% | WDI / UIS |
| 5 | Belgium | BEL | Europe & Central Asia | High income | 6.3% | 2022 | not reported | 6.8% | 6.3% | -0.5% | WDI / UIS |
| 6 | Bhutan | BTN | South Asia | Lower-middle income | 5.8% | 2023 | not reported | 5.5% | 5.8% | 0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 7 | Brazil | BRA | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper-middle income | 5.6% | 2022 | not reported | 5.8% | 5.6% | -0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 8 | Burkina Faso | BFA | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | 5.3% | 2023 | not reported | 5.2% | 5.3% | 0.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 9 | Costa Rica | CRI | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper-middle income | 5.3% | 2023 | not reported | 6.6% | 5.3% | -1.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 10 | Austria | AUT | Europe & Central Asia | High income | 5.3% | 2022 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 5.3% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 11 | Colombia | COL | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper-middle income | 5.3% | 2020 | not reported | 5.3% | not reported | 0.0% | WDI / UIS |
| 12 | Australia | AUS | East Asia & Pacific | High income | 5.1% | 2022 | 4.7% | 5.4% | 5.1% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 13 | Argentina | ARG | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper-middle income | 5.0% | 2023 | 1.1% | 5.3% | 5.0% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 14 | Belarus | BLR | Europe & Central Asia | Upper-middle income | 5.0% | 2024 | not reported | 4.9% | 5.0% | 0.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 15 | Chile | CHL | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 4.9% | 2022 | 2.2% | 5.6% | 4.9% | -0.7% | WDI / UIS |
| 16 | Canada | CAN | North America | High income | 4.8% | 2022 | 6.0% | 4.9% | 4.8% | -0.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 17 | Belize | BLZ | Latin America & Caribbean | Upper-middle income | 4.6% | 2023 | not reported | 5.2% | 4.6% | -0.6% | WDI / UIS |
| 18 | Bulgaria | BGR | Europe & Central Asia | High income | 4.5% | 2022 | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 0.0% | WDI / UIS |
| 19 | Burundi | BDI | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | 4.5% | 2025 | 3.4% | 5.3% | not reported | -0.8% | WDI / UIS |
| 20 | Brunei Darussalam | BRN | East Asia & Pacific | High income | 4.4% | 2016 | 2.3% | not reported | not reported | not reported | WDI / UIS |
| 21 | Afghanistan | AFG | South Asia | Low income | 4.3% | 2017 | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported | WDI / UIS |
| 22 | Cabo Verde | CPV | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 4.3% | 2023 | not reported | 7.1% | 4.3% | -2.8% | WDI / UIS |
| 23 | Croatia | HRV | Europe & Central Asia | High income | 4.1% | 2021 | not reported | 4.4% | not reported | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 24 | China | CHN | East Asia & Pacific | Upper-middle income | 3.9% | 2022 | not reported | not reported | 3.9% | not reported | WDI / UIS |
| 25 | Azerbaijan | AZE | Europe & Central Asia | Upper-middle income | 3.7% | 2023 | not reported | 4.3% | 3.7% | -0.6% | WDI / UIS |
| 26 | Barbados | BRB | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 3.6% | 2024 | not reported | 3.9% | 3.6% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 27 | Cote d’Ivoire | CIV | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 3.6% | 2024 | not reported | 3.8% | 3.4% | -0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 28 | Aruba | ABW | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 3.6% | 2020 | not reported | 3.6% | not reported | 0.0% | WDI / UIS |
| 29 | Congo, Rep. | COG | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 3.3% | 2023 | not reported | 4.2% | 3.3% | -0.9% | WDI / UIS |
| 30 | Benin | BEN | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 3.2% | 2023 | not reported | 3.1% | 3.2% | 0.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 31 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | BIH | Europe & Central Asia | Upper-middle income | 3.2% | 2023 | not reported | 3.0% | 3.2% | 0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 32 | British Virgin Islands | VGB | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 3.2% | 2023 | not reported | 2.7% | 3.2% | 0.5% | WDI / UIS |
| 33 | Chad | TCD | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | 3.2% | 2023 | not reported | 2.7% | 3.2% | 0.5% | WDI / UIS |
| 34 | Albania | ALB | Europe & Central Asia | Upper-middle income | 3.1% | 2023 | not reported | 3.3% | 3.1% | -0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 35 | Antigua and Barbuda | ATG | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 3.1% | 2023 | not reported | 3.0% | 3.1% | 0.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 36 | Cameroon | CMR | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 2.8% | 2023 | 3.3% | 3.1% | 2.7% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 37 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | COD | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | 2.8% | 2022 | not reported | 2.6% | 2.8% | 0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 38 | Bahamas, The | BHS | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 2.7% | 2023 | not reported | 3.0% | 2.7% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 39 | Angola | AGO | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 2.5% | 2023 | not reported | 2.7% | 2.4% | -0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 40 | Armenia | ARM | Europe & Central Asia | Upper-middle income | 2.4% | 2023 | not reported | 2.8% | 2.4% | -0.4% | WDI / UIS |
| 41 | Comoros | COM | Sub-Saharan Africa | Lower-middle income | 2.3% | 2023 | not reported | 2.3% | 2.3% | 0.0% | WDI / UIS |
| 42 | Cambodia | KHM | East Asia & Pacific | Lower-middle income | 2.2% | 2023 | not reported | 2.2% | 2.2% | 0.0% | WDI / UIS |
| 43 | Bangladesh | BGD | South Asia | Lower-middle income | 2.0% | 2024 | 1.5% | 2.1% | 2.1% | -0.1% | WDI / UIS |
| 44 | Andorra | AND | Europe & Central Asia | High income | 1.9% | 2023 | not reported | 2.6% | 1.9% | -0.7% | WDI / UIS |
| 45 | Bahrain | BHR | Middle East & North Africa | High income | 1.9% | 2023 | not reported | 2.1% | 1.7% | -0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 46 | Bermuda | BMU | North America | High income | 1.9% | 2023 | 3.1% | 1.7% | 1.8% | 0.2% | WDI / UIS |
| 47 | Central African Republic | CAF | Sub-Saharan Africa | Low income | 1.8% | 2023 | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.1% | -0.3% | WDI / UIS |
| 48 | Cayman Islands | CYM | Latin America & Caribbean | High income | 1.6% | 2023 | not reported | 1.5% | 1.6% | 0.1% | WDI / UIS |
Table analysis
- Algeria ranks first in the included table with 9.0% in 2024.
- Cayman Islands has the lowest latest value in the table at 1.6% in 2023.
- The table combines different latest source years, from 2016 for Brunei Darussalam to 2025 for Burundi.
- Countries with high GDP-share spending are not necessarily countries with high per-student spending.
- “Change vs 2020” is calculated only when both 2020 and latest values are available.
- Rows marked “not reported” are left unfilled rather than estimated.
Long-Run Spending Trend
Selected countries with enough anchor-year coverage show how the GDP-share measure moved over time.
Selected long-run country series
Anchor years use reported WDI / UIS values where available.
The final point is each country’s latest reported year, not a shared year.
Trend analysis
- Argentina rose from 1.1% in 1990 to 5.0% in 2023.
- Canada moved from 6.0% in 1990 to 4.8% in 2022.
- Austria stayed within a narrow band from 5.0% to 5.6% across the displayed anchors.
- Chile rose from 2.2% in 1990 to 4.9% in 2022.
- Bolivia has no 1990 or 2000 anchor in the selected view, so early-period change is not calculated.
| Country | Code | 1990 | 2000 | 2016 | 2020 | Latest | Latest year | Change since 1990 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | ARG | 1.1% | 4.6% | 5.5% | 5.3% | 5.0% | 2023 | +3.9 pp |
| Austria | AUT | 5.0% | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% | 5.3% | 2022 | +0.3 pp |
| Bolivia | BOL | not reported | not reported | 8.2% | 8.4% | 7.5% | 2024 | not calculated |
| Canada | CAN | 6.0% | 5.4% | 4.8% | 4.9% | 4.8% | 2022 | -1.2 pp |
| Chile | CHL | 2.2% | 3.8% | 5.4% | 5.6% | 4.9% | 2022 | +2.7 pp |
| Bangladesh | BGD | 1.5% | 2.1% | 1.3% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2024 | +0.5 pp |
Table analysis
- Only countries with enough anchor-year coverage are used in this trend table.
- Change since 1990 is measured in percentage points, not percent growth.
- Bolivia is shown from 2016 onward because the 1990 and 2000 anchors are not reported in the selected view.
Regional and Income Group Summary
Group summaries use unweighted averages of the country/economy latest values included in the table.
Regional mean of included latest values
Unweighted mean by World Bank region grouping used in the table.
The chart is a table-based summary and does not replace official regional aggregates.
Chart analysis
- Middle East & North Africa has the highest included regional mean at 5.5%, based on two country rows.
- Latin America & Caribbean has the largest row count in the summary with 14 countries/economies.
- North America’s mean is based on Canada and Bermuda only.
| Rank | Region | Countries | Mean | Highest | Lowest | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle East & North Africa | 2 | 5.5% | 9.0% | 1.9% | Unweighted country mean |
| 2 | Latin America & Caribbean | 14 | 4.6% | 8.4% | 1.6% | Unweighted country mean |
| 3 | Europe & Central Asia | 10 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 1.9% | Unweighted country mean |
| 4 | South Asia | 3 | 4.0% | 5.8% | 2.0% | Unweighted country mean |
| 5 | East Asia & Pacific | 4 | 3.9% | 5.1% | 2.2% | Unweighted country mean |
| 6 | Sub-Saharan Africa | 13 | 3.7% | 8.4% | 1.8% | Unweighted country mean |
| 7 | North America | 2 | 3.3% | 4.8% | 1.9% | Unweighted country mean |
| Rank | Income group | Countries | Mean | Highest | Lowest | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper-middle income | 14 | 5.2% | 9.0% | 2.4% | Unweighted country mean |
| 2 | High income | 17 | 3.7% | 6.3% | 1.6% | Unweighted country mean |
| 3 | Lower-middle income | 11 | 3.6% | 7.5% | 2.0% | Unweighted country mean |
| 4 | Low income | 6 | 3.6% | 5.3% | 1.8% | Unweighted country mean |
Table analysis
- Upper-middle income countries have the highest unweighted mean in the included table at 5.2%.
- The high-income group has the widest included range, from 1.6% to 6.3%.
- These are table-based summaries, not official World Bank income-group aggregates.
Spending Notes
Interpretation points for the GDP-share education spending indicator.
GDP-share measure
The indicator measures education expenditure relative to the size of the economy. It does not measure total education spending in currency terms.
Latest year variation
Country reporting years differ. A 2024 observation and a 2022 observation can appear in the same ranked table.
Ranking limit
The rank is only for government education expenditure as a percentage of GDP. It is not a ranking of education quality or outcomes.
Missing values
Missing anchor-year values are shown as “not reported” and are not filled by interpolation.
Source and Methodology
Main source World Bank World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS.
Underlying source UNESCO Institute for Statistics through the World Bank Data API and WDI publication pipeline.
Indicator definition General government expenditure on education, including current, capital, and transfers, expressed as a percentage of GDP.
Unit Percent of gross domestic product.
Source-year handling Each row uses the latest reported country value available in the selected WDI view; source years are shown in the table.
Historical anchors 1990, 2020, and 2022 are included where reported. Missing anchors are marked “not reported”.
Rounding Values are rounded to one decimal place for table readability.
Supporting metadata World Bank DataBank metadata glossary and UNESCO UIS glossary define the indicator and source methodology.
Country ranking is sorted by latest reported value. Regional and income-group tables use simple unweighted averages of the country/economy rows included in this HTML module, so they should not be read as official World Bank regional or income-group aggregates. No missing values are imputed.
Methodological Safety Note
Government education expenditure as a share of GDP is a fiscal ratio. It should not be interpreted as per-student spending, total spending volume, learning performance, or education quality. Comparisons are affected by GDP size, government accounting rules, coverage of education levels, and source-year differences.