New Zealand Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
New Zealand's education spending was 5.28% in 2025, ranked 42nd globally. This represents a 0.2% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1973–2025.
Overview
New Zealand's education spending stood at 5.28% in 2025, a rise of +0.01% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 5.28% by 2025. New Zealand ranked 42nd globally.
New Zealand’s public expenditure on education has risen modestly since the series began in 1973, moving from 4.75 percent of GDP that year to 5.28 percent in 2025, which places the country 42nd globally. The trajectory shows a pronounced peak of 6.64 percent in 1999, followed by a sharp decline to a trough of 3.43 percent in 1986, before resuming a gradual upward path over the subsequent three decades. Compared with peers of similar rank, New Zealand’s 2025 level is close to Rwanda’s 5.27 percent and slightly below Estonia’s 5.33 percent, indicating that its spending intensity remains comparable to both developing and advanced economies. The long‑run increase reflects sustained policy emphasis on universal access and quality improvement, yet the gap between the 1999 high and current levels suggests room for further investment. Continued growth in enrolment rates, technology integration and demographic pressures are likely to push education spending higher in the coming years, provided fiscal capacity and political commitment remain strong.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 5.26% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 5.28% | - | - |
| 2025 | 5.28% | +0.01% | #42 |
| 2023 | 5.28% | +0.05% | #96 |
| 2022 | 5.23% | −0.32% | #121 |
| 2021 | 5.55% | −0.10% | #134 |
| 2020 | 5.65% | +0.47% | #134 |
| 2019 | 5.18% | −0.02% | #127 |
| 2018 | 5.19% | −0.09% | #126 |
| 2017 | 5.28% | −0.23% | #131 |
| 2016 | 5.51% | −0.20% | #129 |
| 2015 | 5.71% | −0.10% | #133 |
| 2014 | 5.81% | −0.08% | #132 |
| 2013 | 5.89% | +0.28% | #127 |
| 2000 | 5.60% | −1.03% | #95 |
| 1999 | 6.64% | +0.48% | #103 |
| 1997 | 6.16% | −0.23% | #31 |
Analysis
New Zealand's education spending was 5.28% in 2025, a rise of +0.01% from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 5.28% by 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
New Zealand's education spending was 5.28% in 2025. Ranked 42nd globally. This represents a 0.2% increase from the previous year.
New Zealand's education spending peaked at 6.64% in 1999.
The lowest education spending in New Zealand was 3.43% in 1986.
New Zealand ranks 42nd globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
New Zealand's education spending is projected to reach 5.28% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of New Zealand in 2025 was 5.28%. This ranks 42nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_new-zealand_education-spending-gdp,
title = {New Zealand Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/new-zealand/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}