Norway Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Norway's education spending was 4.66% in 2025, ranked 64th globally. This represents a 14.6% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1972–2025.
Overview
Norway's education spending stood at 4.66% in 2025, a decline of +0.80% from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 4.66% by 2025. Norway ranked 64th globally.
Norway’s public expenditure on education has fallen sharply over the past half‑century, declining from 5.90 percent of GDP in 1972 to a trough of 4.66 percent in 2025, the lowest level recorded since the series began. The all‑time peak of 8.37 percent was reached in 2020, a year when pandemic‑related stimulus measures temporarily boosted fiscal outlays across many sectors, including schooling. By 2025 Norway ranked 64th globally, with its spending marginally below that of Belarus (4.69 percent) and just above Seychelles (4.65 percent), indicating that the country now clusters with nations that allocate a modest share of resources to education. The 51‑year coverage shows a persistent downward trajectory that contrasts with the higher‑spending patterns of many OECD peers. Unless policy reforms raise the education budget or introduce efficiency‑enhancing reforms, the declining share of GDP is likely to continue, potentially constraining future human‑capital development.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 4.66% | - | - |
| 2025 | 4.66% | −0.80% | #64 |
| 2022 | 5.46% | −1.50% | #131 |
| 2021 | 6.96% | −1.41% | #157 |
| 2020 | 8.37% | +0.51% | #161 |
| 2019 | 7.86% | +0.27% | #160 |
| 2018 | 7.60% | −0.25% | #159 |
| 2017 | 7.85% | −0.14% | #167 |
| 2016 | 7.98% | +0.46% | #155 |
| 2015 | 7.52% | −0.12% | #155 |
| 2014 | 7.64% | +0.20% | #156 |
| 2013 | 7.44% | +0.11% | #146 |
| 2012 | 7.33% | +0.91% | #140 |
| 2011 | 6.41% | −0.30% | #127 |
| 2010 | 6.71% | −0.36% | #125 |
| 2009 | 7.07% | +0.82% | #106 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Norway matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Norway's education spending was 4.66% in 2025. Ranked 64th globally. This represents a 14.6% decrease from the previous year.
Norway's education spending peaked at 8.37% in 2020.
The lowest education spending in Norway was 4.66% in 2025.
Norway ranks 64th globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Norway's education spending is projected to reach 4.66% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Norway in 2025 was 4.66%. This ranks 64th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_norway_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Norway Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/norway/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}