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Ranked: Education Spending Per Student by Country
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Key Takeaways
- Luxembourg spends over $31,000 per student, far ahead of every other country.
- Most advanced economies cluster between $18,000 and $21,000 per student.
- Spending falls below $6,000 in major economies like China, Türkiye, and Mexico.
Education spending per student varies widely across countries, reflecting differences in national priorities and resources.
At the top of the ranking, Luxembourg stands alone, spending far more per student than any other country. Beyond this upper tier, spending levels diverge quickly across both advanced and emerging economies.
This chart ranks countries by annual education spending per student, using PPP-adjusted data from the OECD’s Education at a Glance 2025.
These differences influence everything from class sizes and teacher pay to access to technology and higher education outcomes.
Top Spenders Cluster in Europe and North America
Luxembourg stands far above all peers, spending over $31,000 per student, nearly $9,000 more than second-place Norway and several times higher than lower-ranked countries. The country also leads in teacher salaries.
| Rank | Country | Expenditure per student (in USD PPP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxembourg | 31,439 |
| 2 | Norway | 22,558 |
| 3 | Austria | 20,942 |
| 4 | United States | 20,387 |
| 5 | South Korea | 19,805 |
| 6 | Denmark | 19,229 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 19,186 |
| 8 | United Kingdom | 19,072 |
| 9 | Belgium | 19,024 |
| 10 | Canada | 18,733 |
| 11 | Iceland | 18,707 |
| 12 | Germany | 17,960 |
| 13 | Sweden | 17,804 |
| 14 | Australia | 17,529 |
| 15 | Ireland | 15,915 |
| 16 | France | 15,427 |
| 17 | OECD average | 15,023 |
| 18 | Finland | 15,000 |
| 19 | Slovenia | 14,454 |
| 20 | Japan | 14,130 |
| 21 | Italy | 13,750 |
| 22 | Spain | 13,385 |
| 23 | Portugal | 12,956 |
| 24 | Israel | 12,877 |
| 25 | Czechia | 12,844 |
| 26 | New Zealand | 12,389 |
| 27 | Estonia | 12,362 |
| 28 | Poland | 11,488 |
| 29 | Lithuania | 11,313 |
| 30 | Slovakia | 11,259 |
| 31 | Hungary | 10,097 |
| 32 | Latvia | 9,204 |
| 33 | Croatia | 9,033 |
| 34 | Bulgaria | 8,703 |
| 35 | Chile | 8,068 |
| 36 | Romania | 7,221 |
| 37 | Greece | 7,137 |
| 38 | Türkiye | 5,305 |
| 39 | China | 5,161 |
| 40 | South Africa | 4,395 |
| 41 | Mexico | 4,066 |
| 42 | Peru | 2,612 |
| -- | OECD Average | 15,022 |
The U.S. and several Western European countries also rank near the top, typically spending between $18,000 and $21,000. These high levels reflect both strong public funding and the higher costs of education systems.
Canada and the United Kingdom also fall within this upper tier, underscoring consistent investment across advanced economies.
OECD Average Masks Wide Gaps
While the OECD average is about $15,000 per student, most countries fall far from this midpoint, clustering either well above it in Western Europe and North America or far below it in emerging economies.
Countries like Japan, Italy, and Spain fall below the average despite being advanced economies. Meanwhile, emerging European economies such as Poland and Hungary spend closer to $10,000–$11,000.
Spending Drops Sharply Outside Advanced Economies
Outside the OECD’s highest spenders, education investment drops off rapidly.
Türkiye and China spend just over $5,000 per student, while Mexico and South Africa are closer to $4,000. Peru sits at the bottom of the ranking at roughly $2,600 per student.
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