Canada's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) was 4.84% in 2022, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is down 0.12 percentage points from 4.96% in 2017.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 4.84% | 2022 |
| Five years earlier | 4.96% | 2017 |
| Highest | 7.68% | 1971 |
| Lowest | 4.59% | 2013 |
| Average since 2013 | 4.81% | 2013–2022 |
| First recorded | 7.68% | 1971 |
Over five years it is down 0.12 percentage points from 4.96% in 2017. Since 1971 it is down 2.84 percentage points from 7.68% in 1971. The World Bank has no value for 6 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.
What the numbers say
In 2022, Canada's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) rose 0.1 percentage points on 2021 (from 4.75% to 4.84%).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1982 to 2021), the average change was +0 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.38 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.93 percentage points in 1993 and the biggest yearly fall was 1.02 percentage points in 1994. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 15% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2022, Canada had the 22nd highest value of the 47 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 4.84% | 2022 |
| World | 3.57% | 2023 |
| North America | 4.84% | 2022 |
| High income | 4.7% | 2022 |
Closest to Canada in the 2022 ranking
- Australia — 19th of 47: 5.06%
- Chile — 20th of 47: 4.91%
- Switzerland — 21st of 47: 4.86%
- Cyprus — 23rd of 47: 4.74%
- Malta — 24th of 47: 4.71%
- Slovak Republic — 25th of 47: 4.66%
What this measures
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.
Limitations: Data may refer to spending by the ministry of education only (excluding spending on educational activities by other ministries).
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.
All 46 values
| Year | Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 4.84 |
| 2021 | 4.75 |
| 2020 | 4.89 |
| 2019 | 4.77 |
| 2018 | 4.89 |
| 2017 | 4.96 |
| 2016 | 4.82 |
| 2015 | 4.74 |
| 2014 | 4.84 |
| 2013 | 4.59 |
| 2012 |
Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in nearby economies
- Bermuda — 1.87% (2023)
More education data for Canada
- Primary school starting age (years) — 6 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils — 2.43 million (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils — 2.7 million (2023)
- School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.99 (2020)
- School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
- School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.01 (2020)
- Primary education, pupils (% female)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Canada's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)?
- 4.84% in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1971?
- It is down 2.84 percentage points from 7.68% in 1971. The highest value was 7.68% in 1971 and the lowest 4.59% in 2013.
- How does Canada rank?
- 22nd highest of 47 economies with data for 2022.
- Is the latest change in government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) unusual for Canada?
- In 2022, Canada's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) rose 0.1 percentage points on 2021 (from 4.75% to 4.84%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1982 to 2021), the average change was +0 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.38 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.3 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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