Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Across OECD countries, the average annual expenditure per primary school student is about USD 11,900. Spending increases at higher education levels, averaging USD 13,300 per secondary school student and USD 20,500 per tertiary student, reflecting the higher teacher qualifications and specialized knowledge required at advanced levels.
The highest per-student spending is usually at the tertiary level, except in Korea and Portugal. Not all countries that spend more on tertiary education also allocate greater amounts to primary or secondary education, indicating spending does not follow a simple linear trend.
Education spending as a share of GDP varies widely among OECD countries, from around 3% to over 8%. Factors influencing this include student enrollment numbers, duration of study, funding allocation, and GDP size.