Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ in Canada

Canada: Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ was 25,279 millions in 2017. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2017)
25,279 millions
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
8th
of 158 countries
All-time high
30,660 millions
in 2014
All-time low
2,125 millions
in 1971
Years of data
36
1971–2017

Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ in Canada, 1971–2017

010.0k20.0k30.0k1971199420171971: 2.1k millions1972: 2.4k millions1973: 2.5k millions1974: 2.7k millions1975: 3.2k millions1976: 3.7k millions1977: 4.1k millions1978: 4.4k millions1979: 4.5k millions1980: 4.7k millions1981: 5.3k millions1982: 5.9k millions1983: 6.5k millions1984: 7.0k millions1985: 6.7k millions1986: 6.8k millions1987: 7.4k millions1988: 8.2k millions1989: 9.8k millions1990: 10.8k millions1991: 11.5k millions1992: 12.7k millions1993: 12.7k millions1994: 13.3k millions1995: 12.9k millions1998: 11.2k millions2007: 23.1k millions2008: 23.4k millions2009: 27.1k millions2010: 26.1k millions2011: 30.3k millions2013: 24.2k millions2014: 30.7k millions2015: 29.3k millions2016: 25.1k millions2017: 25.3k millions

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in millions.

Analysis

The most recent figure for government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ in Canada is 25,279 millions, measured in 2017.

The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ in Canada peaked at 30,660 millions in 2014 and was at its lowest, 2,125 millions, in 1971.

Canada ranks 8th of 158 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ (millions) in Canada, 1971 to 2017.
Year millions Change
1971 2,125 millions —
1972 2,371 millions +11.6%
1973 2,477 millions +4.5%
1974 2,698 millions +8.9%
1975 3,248 millions +20.4%
1976 3,673 millions +13.1%
1977 4,119 millions +12.1%
1978 4,367 millions +6.0%
1979 4,489 millions +2.8%
1980 4,696 millions +4.6%
1981 5,266 millions +12.1%
1982 5,865 millions +11.4%
1983 6,485 millions +10.6%
1984 6,998 millions +7.9%
1985 6,739 millions -3.7%
1986 6,840 millions +1.5%
1987 7,374 millions +7.8%
1988 8,216 millions +11.4%
1989 9,807 millions +19.4%
1990 10,771 millions +9.8%
1991 11,502 millions +6.8%
1992 12,708 millions +10.5%
1993 12,679 millions -0.2%
1994 13,331 millions +5.1%
1995 12,895 millions -3.3%
1998 11,155 millions -13.5%
2007 23,148 millions +107.5%
2008 23,405 millions +1.1%
2009 27,114 millions +15.8%
2010 26,057 millions -3.9%
2011 30,296 millions +16.3%
2013 24,238 millions -20.0%
2014 30,660 millions +26.5%
2015 29,331 millions -4.3%
2016 25,122 millions -14.4%
2017 25,279 millions +0.6%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 25,279 millions is above the median for high income countries, which is 1,389 millions, 18.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2007 +107.5% 11,155 millions 23,148 millions

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 3,285 millions 2,125 millions 4,489 millions 9
1980s 6,829 millions 4,696 millions 9,807 millions 10
1990s 12,149 millions 10,771 millions 13,331 millions 7
2000s 24,556 millions 23,148 millions 27,114 millions 3
2010s 27,283 millions 24,238 millions 30,660 millions 7

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 5 France 31,828 millions compare
  2. 6 Brazil 31,366 millions compare
  3. 7 Japan 31,329 millions compare
  4. 9 India 20,045 millions compare
  5. 10 Australia 17,118 millions compare
  6. 11 Italy 14,745 millions compare

See the full ranking of 158 places →

More reference data data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ in Canada?
Government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ in Canada was 25,279 millions in 2017, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 30,660 millions in 2014.
What is the lowest government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 2,125 millions in 1971.
How does Canada rank for government expenditure on tertiary education, us$?
Canada ranks 8th out of 158 countries with data for 2017.
Is government expenditure on tertiary education, us$ rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ (millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/government-expenditure-on-tertiary-education-us-millions/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Government expenditure on tertiary education, US$ (millions)
Unit
millions
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
158 places, 3,257 data points, 1970–2019
Last refreshed

Total general (local, regional and central) government expenditure on tertiary education (current, capital, and transfers) in millions US$ (nominal value). It includes expenditure funded by transfers from international sources to government. Total government expenditure for a given level of education (e.g. primary, secondary, or all levels combined) in national currency is converted to US$. Limitations: In some instances data on total government expenditure on education refers only to the Ministry of Education, excluding other ministries which may also spend a part of their budget on educational activities. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/