Serbia Education Spending
Government expenditure on education as % of GDP SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS
Serbia's education spending was 3.12% in 2025, ranked 118th globally. This represents a 8.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 2007–2025.
Overview
Serbia's education spending stood at 3.12% in 2025, a decline of +0.28% from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 3.12% by 2025. Serbia ranked 118th globally.
Serbia's education spending has experienced fluctuations over the past decade. The country's expenditure on education peaked in 2009 at 4.31% of GDP, but declined steadily to 3.12% in 2025, placing it #118 globally according to the World Bank. This represents a significant drop from the all-time trough of 3.08% in 2022, marking a reversal of the downward trend. A comparison with peer countries reveals that Serbia's education spending lags behind Malaysia, which spent 3.19% of GDP on education in 2025. The decline in education spending in Serbia is concerning, as it may impact the country's human capital development and long-term economic growth. A sustained increase in education spending, particularly in areas such as teacher training and infrastructure, would be crucial in reversing this trend and improving Serbia's global ranking.
Data & projection
| Year | Education Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 3.08% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 3.12% | - | - |
| 2025 | 3.12% | −0.28% | #118 |
| 2023 | 3.40% | +0.32% | #50 |
| 2022 | 3.08% | −0.06% | #46 |
| 2021 | 3.15% | −0.31% | #46 |
| 2019 | 3.46% | +0.02% | #59 |
| 2018 | 3.44% | −0.13% | #55 |
| 2017 | 3.57% | +0.06% | #65 |
| 2016 | 3.50% | −0.57% | #55 |
| 2011 | 4.07% | −0.24% | #74 |
| 2009 | 4.31% | +0.26% | #49 |
| 2007 | 4.05% | – | #49 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Serbia matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw education spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Serbia's education spending was 3.12% in 2025. Ranked 118th globally. This represents a 8.3% decrease from the previous year.
Serbia's education spending peaked at 4.31% in 2009.
The lowest education spending in Serbia was 3.08% in 2022.
Serbia ranks 118th globally in education spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Serbia's education spending is projected to reach 3.12% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The education spending of Serbia in 2025 was 3.12%. This ranks 118th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_serbia_education-spending-gdp,
title = {Serbia Education Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/serbia/education-spending-gdp/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}