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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Guatemala's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) fell 5.72 percentage points on 2024 (from 22.99% to 17.27%).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2024), the average change was +1.34 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.35 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 18.72 percentage points in 1996 and the biggest yearly fall was 5.72 percentage points in 2025. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.39 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 36% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Guatemala had the 13th highest value of the 58 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 2025 ranking

• Benin — 9th of 58: 18.02%
• Zimbabwe — 10th of 58: 17.9%
• Tunisia — 11th of 58: 17.28%
• Puerto Rico (US) — 13th of 58: 15.96%
• El Salvador — 14th of 58: 15.89%
• Algeria — 15th of 58: 15.54%

What this measures

General government expenditure on education (current, capital, and transfers) is expressed as a percentage of total general government expenditure on all sectors (including health, education, social services, etc.). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. General government usually refers to local, regional and central governments.

Limitations: Data on government expenditure on education may refer to spending by the ministry of education only (excluding spending on educational activities by other ministries). In addition, definitions and methods of data on total general government expenditure may differ across countries.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a median.

All 23 values

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

• Antigua and Barbuda — 5.87% (2025)
• Argentina — 13.22% (2023)
• Aruba — 10.96% (2021)
• Bahamas, The — 10.62% (2025)
• Barbados — 14.19% (2025)
• Belize — 18.9% (2024)
• Bolivia — 20.16% (2024)
• Brazil — 12.93% (2022)

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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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

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

17.27% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1993?

It is up 17.27 percentage points from 0% in 1993. The highest value was 24.09% in 2015 and the lowest 0% in 1993.

How does Guatemala rank?

13th highest of 58 economies with data for 2025.

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

In 2025, Guatemala's government expenditure on education, total (% of government expenditure) fell 5.72 percentage points on 2024 (from 22.99% to 17.27%). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2024), the average change was +1.34 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 4.35 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.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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