Spain — Education spending
Government Education Spending (% of GDP) for Spain, 1970–2022.
Education spending for Spain was 4.59% in 2022, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 43 years, from 1970 to 2022. The highest recorded value was 4.90% in 2009. The lowest was 1.46% in 1974 (about 3.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.78% per year.
Spain ranks 69 of 172 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 40%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 4.59%, so Spain sits level with it. It peaked in 2009 and has fallen 6% since. Over the last decade (2012–2022) the figure moved up 3%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 23 of 45 economies; Portugal (4.55%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 34% in 1987. That is 4% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1970 level: doubled by 1991. Doubling roughly every 39 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 28th of 31 in 1970 → 25th of 50 in 1990 → 52nd of 116 in 2000 → 48th of 130 in 2010 → 64th of 157 in 2020 → 61st of 150 in 2022.
Key figures
Full history — 1970 to 2022
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 4.81% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 4.85% | +0.6 pp |
| 2019 | 4.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 4.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 4.18% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 4.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 4.25% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 4.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 4.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 4.46% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 4.72% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 4.84% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 4.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 4.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 4.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 4.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 4.14% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 4.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 4.17% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 4.13% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 4.11% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 4.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 4.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 4.29% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 4.46% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 4.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 4.49% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 4.25% | +0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 3.84% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 3.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 3.64% | +0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 3.55% | +0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 3.33% | +0.2 pp |
| 1987 | 3.13% | +0.8 pp |
| 1979 | 2.34% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 2.23% | +0.2 pp |
| 1977 | 2.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 1.9% | +0.4 pp |
| 1974 | 1.46% | -0.6 pp |
| 1972 | 2.07% | +0.2 pp |
| 1971 | 1.89% | +0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 1.83% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Spain’s Education spending in 1971?
1.89% (1971). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Spain’s Education spending growing or shrinking?
Between 1970 and 2022 the series was growing overall: +150.0% in total — about 1.8% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2022: 4.59%; 2021: 4.81%; 2020: 4.85%; 2019: 4.2%; 2018: 4.15%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS — Government Education Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.