Guatemala: Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Guatemala's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) fell 0.03 percentage points on 2023 (from 3.11% to 3.08%).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2023), the average change was +0.03 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.12 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below 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 0.18 percentage points in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.23 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 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 22% 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 2024, Guatemala had the 33rd highest value of the 38 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.

Closest to Guatemala in the 2024 ranking

• El Salvador — 30th of 38: 3.32%
• Jordan — 31st of 38: 3.23%
• Tanzania — 32nd of 38: 3.16%
• Turks and Caicos Islands — 34th of 38: 2.95%
• Ethiopia — 35th of 38: 2.3%
• Singapore — 36th of 38: 2.19%

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 25 values

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 3.11% (2023)
• Argentina — 5% (2023)
• Aruba — 3.62% (2021)
• Bahamas, The — 2.74% (2023)
• Barbados — 3.56% (2024)
• Belize — 4.62% (2024)
• Bolivia — 7.54% (2024)
• Brazil — 5.62% (2022)
• British Virgin Islands — 3.17% (2023)
• Chile

More education data for Guatemala

• Primary school starting age (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.42 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 101.49% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 100.56% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 102.4% (2024)
• Primary education, teachers — 122,362 (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 1.13 million (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is Guatemala's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP)?

3.08% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 1.22 percentage points from 1.86% in 1970. The highest value was 3.29% in 2020 and the lowest 1.44% in 1994.

How does Guatemala rank?

33rd highest of 38 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) unusual for Guatemala?

In 2024, Guatemala's government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) fell 0.03 percentage points on 2023 (from 3.11% to 3.08%). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1971 to 2023), the average change was +0.03 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.12 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below 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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