EU274.7% of GDP · 2022
US5.4% of GDP · 2021
China3.9% of GDP · 2023
The latest years differ between areas.
EU27 US China Range of the member states
Range within the EU: 2022: 3.3 (Romania) to 7.3 (Sweden), median 4.7, 25 member states
All member states (2022)
| Sweden | 7.3 |
| Finland | 6.4 |
| Denmark | 6.4 |
| Belgium | 6.3 |
| France | 5.3 |
| Slovenia | 5.3 |
| Austria | 5.3 |
| Germany | 5.2 |
| Estonia | 5.2 |
| Netherlands | 5.2 |
| Cyprus | 4.7 |
| Malta | 4.7 |
| Slovakia | 4.7 |
| Spain | 4.6 |
| Portugal | 4.6 |
| Bulgaria | 4.5 |
| Latvia | 4.3 |
| Poland | 4.3 |
| Czechia | 4.3 |
| Lithuania | 4.3 |
| Italy | 4.1 |
| Hungary | 3.8 |
| Luxembourg | 3.7 |
| Greece | 3.4 |
| Romania | 3.3 |
Values as a table
| Year | EU27 | US | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | – | – | 3.9 |
| 2022 | 4.7 | – | – |
| 2021 | 4.8 | 5.4 | – |
| 2020 | 4.9 | 5.4 | – |
| 2019 | 4.6 | 5.0 | – |
| 2018 | 4.6 | 4.9 | – |
| 2017 | 4.6 | 5.1 | – |
| 2016 | 4.8 | 4.8 | – |
| 2015 | 4.8 | 4.9 | – |
| 2014 | 4.9 | – | – |
| 2013 | 5.0 | – | – |
| 2012 | 4.8 | – | – |
Definition
General government spending (all levels) on education from pre-primary to tertiary, as a share of economic output. Current and capital spending, including transfers to private institutions.
Caveats
This source has only a single value for China, so no trend can be read from it. Private spending (tuition fees, tutoring) is missing; it is considerably higher in the US and China than in most EU states. A breakdown by level of education is unavailable for China and ends in 2016 (EU) and 2014 (US).
- Source
- World Bank, World Development Indicators (UNESCO Institute for Statistics) ·
SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS - Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- EU value
- World Bank EU aggregate (EUU).
- retrieved
- 25 Oct 2026 · source updated 8 Oct 2026