All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa

South Africa: All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public was 70.6% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
70.6%
Change on year
down 2.5%
World rank
47th
of 101 countries
All-time high
86.6%
in 2003
All-time low
66.3%
in 2005
Years of data
8
2003–2019

All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa, 2003–2019

0204060802003201120192003: 86.6 %2005: 66.3 %2006: 69.8 %2014: 67.2 %2016: 67.5 %2017: 67 %2018: 72.4 %2019: 70.6 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 70.6% for all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in 2019.

The figure is down 2.5% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa peaked at 86.6% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 66.3%, in 2005.

That places South Africa 47th out of 101 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public institutions (%) in South Africa, 2003 to 2019.
Year % Change
2003 86.6%
2005 66.3% -23.5%
2006 69.8% +5.4%
2014 67.2% -3.8%
2016 67.5% +0.4%
2017 67.0% -0.7%
2018 72.4% +8.1%
2019 70.6% -2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 74.2% 66.3% 86.6% 3
2010s 68.9% 67.0% 72.4% 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 44 Afghanistan 71.4% compare
  2. 45 Jordan 70.9% compare
  3. 46 Kyrgyzstan 70.7% compare
  4. 48 Romania 69.8% compare
  5. 49 Benin 69.5% compare
  6. 50 Japan 69.5% compare

See the full ranking of 108 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa?
All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa was 70.6% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 86.6% in 2003.
What is the lowest all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 66.3% in 2005.
How does South Africa rank for all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public?
South Africa ranks 47th out of 101 countries with data for 2019.
Is all staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/all-staff-compensation-as-percent-of-total-expenditure-in-public-institutions-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
All staff compensation as % of total expenditure in public institutions (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
108 places, 1,290 data points, 1998–2019
Last refreshed

All staff (teacher and non-teachers) compensation expressed as a percentage of direct expenditure in public educational institutions (instructional and non-instructional). Financial aid to students and other transfers are excluded from direct expenditure. Staff compensation includes salaries, contributions by employers for staff retirement programmes, and other allowances and benefits. Divide all staff compensation in public institutions by total expenditure (current and capital) in public institutions, and multiply by 100. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/