Jamaica Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Jamaica's education spending was 5.59% in 2025, ranked 35th globally. This represents a 1.5% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1973–2025.
Overview
Jamaica's education spending stood at 5.59% in 2025, a rise of +0.08% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 5.59% by 2025. Jamaica ranked 35th globally.
Jamaica’s public expenditure on education has risen modestly over the 42‑year series, moving from a low of 3.63 percent of GDP in 1973 to 5.59 percent in 2025, which places the country 35th in the world. The all‑time peak of 6.37 percent was recorded in 2010, while the trough of 3.21 percent occurred in 1993, reflecting the fiscal tightening of the early 1990s and the subsequent expansion of social spending after the turn of the millennium. Jamaica’s 2025 figure sits close to peers such as Austria (5.51 percent) and Kuwait (5.70 percent), indicating that the island nation now allocates a comparable share of resources to schooling despite its smaller economy. The upward trajectory since the 1990s suggests that continued economic growth and reforms in the tax base could sustain or modestly increase education spending, although any reversal in fiscal discipline or external shocks could alter this path.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 5.65% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 5.62% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 5.59% | - | - |
| 2025 | 5.59% | +0.08% | #35 |
| 2024 | 5.51% | −0.14% | #20 |
| 2023 | 5.65% | +0.30% | #102 |
| 2022 | 5.35% | −0.28% | #129 |
| 2021 | 5.63% | +0.25% | #138 |
| 2020 | 5.38% | +0.22% | #121 |
| 2019 | 5.16% | −0.25% | #125 |
| 2018 | 5.41% | +0.15% | #135 |
| 2017 | 5.26% | −0.05% | #130 |
| 2016 | 5.31% | −0.14% | #119 |
| 2015 | 5.46% | −0.56% | #124 |
| 2014 | 6.02% | −0.24% | #137 |
| 2013 | 6.25% | +0.14% | #132 |
| 2012 | 6.11% | −0.15% | #123 |
| 2011 | 6.27% | −0.10% | #122 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Jamaica matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Jamaica's education spending was 5.59% in 2025. Ranked 35th globally. This represents a 1.5% increase from the previous year.
Jamaica's education spending peaked at 6.37% in 2010.
The lowest education spending in Jamaica was 3.21% in 1993.
Jamaica ranks 35th globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Jamaica's education spending is projected to reach 5.59% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Jamaica in 2025 was 5.59%. This ranks 35th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_jamaica_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Jamaica Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/jamaica/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}