Graph and download economic data for Government current expenditures: Education: Higher (G160311A027NBEA) from 1959 to 2023 about education, expenditures, government, GDP, and USA.

In 2021, about 174.9 billion U.S. dollars were funded by the government for postsecondary education programs in the United States. A further 92.07 billion U.S. dollars were funded by the government for elementary and secondary education in that year.

Graph and download economic data for Federal grants-in-aid to state and local governments: Education (G170691A027NBEA) from 1959 to 2024 about grants, state & local, education, federal, government, GDP, and USA.

This table gives an overview of government expenditure on regular education in the Netherlands since 1900. All figures presented have been calculated according to the standardised definitions of the OECD.

Government expenditure on education consists of expenditure by central and local government on education institutions and education. The government finances schools, colleges and universities. It pays for research and development conducted by universities. Furthermore it provides student grants and loans, allowances for school costs, provisions for students with a disability and child care allowances to households as well as subsidies to companies and non-profit organisations.

Total government expenditure is broken down into expenditure on education institutions and education on the one hand and government expenditure on student grants and loans and allowances for school costs to households on the other. If applicable these subjects are broken down into pre-primary and primary education, special needs primary education, secondary education, senior secondary vocational and adult education, higher professional education and university education. Data are available from 1900. Figures for the Second World War period are based on estimations due to a lack of source material.

The table also includes the indicator government expenditure on education as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). This indicator is used to compare government expenditure on education internationally. The indicator is compounded on the basis of definitions of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development). The indicator is also presented in the StatLine table Education; Education expenditure and CBS /OECD indicators. Figures for the First World War and Second World War period are not available for this indicator due to a lack of reliable data on GDP for these periods.

The statistic on Education spending is compiled on a cash basis. This means that the education expenditure and revenues are allocated to the year in which they are paid out or received. However, the activity or transaction associated with the payment or receipt can take place in a different year.

Statistics Netherlands published the revised National Accounts in June 2024. Among other things, GDP has been adjusted upwards as a result of the revision. The revision has not been extended to the years before 1995. In the indicator 'Total government expenditure as % of GDP', a break occurs between 1994 and 1995 as a result of the revision.

Data available from: 1900

Status of the figures: The figures from 1995 to 2022 are final. The 2023 figures are provisional.

Changes on 31 December 2024: The final figures of 2021 and 2022 and the provisional figures of 2023 have been added. As a result of the revision of the National Accounts, among other things, GDP has been adjusted upwards. The indicator ‘Total government expenditure as % of GDP’ in this table has been updated on the basis of the revised figures for the entire time series since 1995. A break occurs in the indicator between 1994 and 1995.

When will new figures be published? The final figures for 2023 and the provisional figures for 2024 will be published in December 2025. More information on the revision policy of National Accounts can be found under 'relevant articles' under paragraph 3.

In most countries basic education is nowadays perceived not only as a right, but also as a duty – governments are typically expected to ensure access to basic education, while citizens are often required by law to attain education up to a certain basic level.1

This was not always the case: the advancement of these ideas began in the mid-19th century, when most of today’s industrialized countries started expanding primary education, mainly through public finances and government intervention. Data from this early period shows that government funds to finance the expansion of education came from a number of different sources, but taxes at the local level played a crucial role. The historical role of local funding for public schools is important to help us understand changes – or persistence – in regional inequalities.

The second half of the 20th century marked the beginning of education expansion as a global phenomenon. Available data shows that by 1990 government spending on education as a share of national income in many developing countries was already close to the average observed in developed countries.2

This global education expansion in the 20th century resulted in a historical reduction in education inequality across the globe: in the period 1960-2010 education inequality went down every year, for all age groups and in all world regions. Recent estimates of education inequality across age groups suggest that further reductions in schooling inequality are still to be expected within developing countries.3

Recent cross-country data from UNESCO tells us that the world is expanding government funding for education today, and these additional public funds for education are not necessarily at the expense of other government sectors. Yet behind these broad global trends, there is substantial cross-country – and cross-regional – heterogeneity. In high-income countries, for instance, households shoulder a larger share of education expenditures at higher education levels than at lower levels – but in low-income countries, this is not the case.

Following the agreement of the Millennium Development Goals, the first decade of the 21st century saw an important increase in international financial flows under the umbrella of development assistance. Recent estimates show that development assistance for education has stopped growing since 2010, with notable aggregate reductions in flows going to primary education. These changes in the prioritization of development assistance for education across levels and regions can have potentially large distributional effects, particularly within low-income countries that depend substantially on this source of funding for basic education.4

When analyzing correlates, determinants and consequences of education consumption, the macro data indicates that national expenditure on education does not explain well cross-country differences in learning outcomes. This suggests that for any given level of expenditure, the output achieved depends crucially on the mix of many inputs.

This report analyses government funding for primary and secondary school education. This includes funding from federal, state and local governments for both private and public schools. The data for this report is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and is measured in billions of current dollars over financial years.

The Education Stabilization Fund (ESF), established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, allotted $30.75 billion to the U.S. Department of Education to award grants to State Educational Agencies (SEAs), Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) in response to COVID-19. The ESF Public Transparency Portal aggregates data on the grants and the associated grant recipients to help clarify where the funds were sent and how they were spent.

Financial information of public and private elementary and secondary education expenditures, by direct source of funds and geography.

United States US: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data was reported at 13.452 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.277 % for 2013. United States US: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data is updated yearly, averaging 13.277 % from Dec 2010 (Median) to 2014, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.452 % in 2014 and a record low of 12.933 % in 2011. United States US: Government Expenditure on Education: Total: % of Government Expenditure data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. 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.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median;

Government spending on higher or tertiary education in the United Kingdom amounted to 4.5 billion British pounds in 2024/25, compared with 7.2 billion in the previous financial year.

Sources of funds for expenditures on research and development (R&D) in the higher education sector. This table is included in Section D: Postsecondary education: Research and development of the Pan Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP). PCEIP draws from a wide variety of data sources to provide information on the school-age population, elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, transitions, education finance and labour market outcomes. The program presents indicators for all of Canada, the provinces, the territories, as well as selected international comparisons and comparisons over time. PCEIP is an ongoing initiative of the Canadian Education Statistics Council, a partnership between Statistics Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada that provides a set of statistical measures on education systems in Canada.

New Zealand schools are funded primarily by the government. The three main components of government funding are school operations, teacher salaries, and property funding. In addition schools receive various forms of ‘in-kind’ resourcing from the government, including software licensing, laptops for principals, other ICT support and professional development. State and state-integrated schools get funding from all three sources, while private schools only receive School Operations funding.

Census.gov / 2023 Public Elementary-Secondary Education Finance Data

Overview

Data

census.gov (school-finances)
census.gov (geo)
census.gov (SAIPE) - the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE)

Example usage

Colab notebook
Blog post

License

The U.S. Census Bureau generally makes its data and information publicly available without requiring a specific license, meaning you can use it for most purposes, including commercial use, without explicit permission or payment, as it is government-produced information. The Census Bureau's website (census.gov) states that its data is publicly accessible, and for the specific dataset mentioned, it is likely covered under the general policy of public data availability from the Census Bureau.

The Department of Homeland Security provided a total of 15.76 million U.S. dollars in funds to postsecondary education programs in the United States in 2022. Furthermore, the Department of Defense provided about 2.77 billion U.S. dollars in funds to postsecondary programs.

Public schools have managed to maintain revenue growth despite significant shifts in funding, enrollment and parental preferences. Class sizes are shrinking every year as birth rates drop and the high school retention rate stagnates, straining revenue as smaller schools see lessened funding from governments. Public schools have contended with heightened competition from alternative education options, especially homeschooling and private institutions, as parents seek more personalized educational experiences. States have increasingly adopted school choice systems, allowing parents to use public funds or tax credits to pay for private schooling. The Trump administration has taken steps to promote these programs even more and has proposed establishing a federal voucher system. Despite heightened competition and a rigorous competitive atmosphere, strong per-pupil funding amid strong state and local budgets has buoyed public schools. Public schools' revenue has been climbing at a CAGR of 1.4% to an estimated $1.0 billion over the five years through 2025, including a rise of 0.9% in 2025 alone. Governments fully fund public schools. Support from state and local governments is especially vital, as they provide nearly nine-tenths of public schools' revenue. Despite a slight dip in 2022, strong tax income pushed up government funding for primary and secondary schools by 6.2% in 2023. These resources are enabling public schools to invest in tutoring and counseling to improve their educational outcomes and better compete with alternative primary and secondary schools. Public schools also used funds to help transition to online and augmented education and have avoided taking on further losses as shrinking class sizes leave them without pressure to continue purchasing new laptops or tablets. Still, public schools are not profitable and largely operate at a loss every year. Public schools are set to face a continued drop in enrollment as well as intensifying competition. To sustain revenue and support, schools will focus on retaining students and improving academic outcomes despite potential federal funding changes. The expansion of school choice programs will compel public schools to enhance their quality and offer additional services like after-school programs to sustain enrollment and win parental support as families gain more access to private schools. Still, charter schools will leverage their unique value propositions to remain competitive and buoy enrollment in the public school system. Public schools' revenue is set to stagnate, swelling at a CAGR of just 0.2% to an estimated $1.0 billion through the end of 2030.

Total general (local, regional and central, current and capital) initial government funding of education per student, which includes transfers paid (such as scholarships to students), but excludes transfers received, in this case international transfers to government for education (when foreign donors provide education sector budget support or other support integrated in the government budget). Calculation Method: Total general (local, regional and central) government expenditure (current and capital) on a given level of education (primary, secondary, etc) minus international transfers to government for education, divided by the number of student enrolled at that level of education. This is then expressed at constant purchasing power parity (constant PPP$). Limitations: In some instances data on total government expenditure on education refers only to the Ministry of Education, excluding other ministries which may also spend a part of their budget on educational activities. There are also cases where it may not be possible to separate international transfers to government from general government expenditure on education, in which cases they have not been subtracted in the formula. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/

This statistic shows the distribution of K-12 public education infrastructure funding in the United States between 1994 and 2013, by source and budget type. Between 1994 and 2013, the federal government contributed about ** percent to the annual operating budget for school construction in the United States.