Military spending per military personnel in Australia
Australia: Military spending per military personnel was 637,627 constant 2022 US$ in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
637,627 constant 2022 US$
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
5th
of 170 countries
All-time high
641,973 constant 2022 US$
in 2020
All-time low
20,766 constant 2022 US$
in 1941
Years of data
102
1920–2022
Military spending per military personnel in Australia, 1920–2022
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2022, military spending per military personnel in Australia stood at 637,627 constant 2022 US$.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 22.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in Australia peaked at 641,973 constant 2022 US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 20,766 constant 2022 US$, in 1941.
That places Australia 5th out of 170 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending per military personnel in Australia, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 25,383 constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1921 | 33,245 constant 2022 US$ | +31.0% |
| 1922 | 48,386 constant 2022 US$ | +45.5% |
| 1923 | 41,601 constant 2022 US$ | -14.0% |
| 1924 | 43,870 constant 2022 US$ | +5.5% |
| 1925 | 47,792 constant 2022 US$ | +8.9% |
| 1926 | 43,822 constant 2022 US$ | -8.3% |
| 1927 | 47,295 constant 2022 US$ | +7.9% |
| 1928 | 43,064 constant 2022 US$ | -8.9% |
| 1929 | 43,380 constant 2022 US$ | +0.7% |
| 1930 | 35,420 constant 2022 US$ | -18.4% |
| 1931 | 32,692 constant 2022 US$ | -7.7% |
| 1932 | 31,525 constant 2022 US$ | -3.6% |
| 1933 | 30,622 constant 2022 US$ | -2.9% |
| 1934 | 31,567 constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 1935 | 37,282 constant 2022 US$ | +18.1% |
| 1936 | 59,970 constant 2022 US$ | +60.9% |
| 1937 | 70,859 constant 2022 US$ | +18.2% |
| 1938 | 88,800 constant 2022 US$ | +25.3% |
| 1939 | 133,941 constant 2022 US$ | +50.8% |
| 1940 | 37,263 constant 2022 US$ | -72.2% |
| 1941 | 20,766 constant 2022 US$ | -44.3% |
| 1943 | 35,287 constant 2022 US$ | +69.9% |
| 1944 | 34,584 constant 2022 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1945 | 25,810 constant 2022 US$ | -25.4% |
| 1946 | 109,039 constant 2022 US$ | +322.5% |
| 1947 | 52,511 constant 2022 US$ | -51.8% |
| 1948 | 44,543 constant 2022 US$ | -15.2% |
| 1949 | 60,173 constant 2022 US$ | +35.1% |
| 1950 | 44,464 constant 2022 US$ | -26.1% |
| 1951 | 82,520 constant 2022 US$ | +85.6% |
| 1952 | 129,320 constant 2022 US$ | +56.7% |
| 1953 | 70,837 constant 2022 US$ | -45.2% |
| 1954 | 72,582 constant 2022 US$ | +2.5% |
| 1955 | 71,626 constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1956 | 75,549 constant 2022 US$ | +5.5% |
| 1957 | 78,221 constant 2022 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1958 | 78,030 constant 2022 US$ | -0.2% |
| 1959 | 70,601 constant 2022 US$ | -9.5% |
| 1960 | 64,016 constant 2022 US$ | -9.3% |
| 1961 | 59,192 constant 2022 US$ | -7.5% |
| 1962 | 50,395 constant 2022 US$ | -14.9% |
| 1963 | 47,575 constant 2022 US$ | -5.6% |
| 1964 | 47,614 constant 2022 US$ | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 52,710 constant 2022 US$ | +10.7% |
| 1966 | 67,900 constant 2022 US$ | +28.8% |
| 1967 | 69,361 constant 2022 US$ | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 74,937 constant 2022 US$ | +8.0% |
| 1969 | 77,834 constant 2022 US$ | +3.9% |
| 1970 | 66,644 constant 2022 US$ | -14.4% |
| 1971 | 77,035 constant 2022 US$ | +15.6% |
| 1972 | 85,448 constant 2022 US$ | +10.9% |
| 1973 | 103,749 constant 2022 US$ | +21.4% |
| 1974 | 135,142 constant 2022 US$ | +30.3% |
| 1975 | 133,244 constant 2022 US$ | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 138,206 constant 2022 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1977 | 133,750 constant 2022 US$ | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 129,191 constant 2022 US$ | -3.4% |
| 1979 | 139,540 constant 2022 US$ | +8.0% |
| 1980 | 144,729 constant 2022 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 145,429 constant 2022 US$ | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 147,094 constant 2022 US$ | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 142,459 constant 2022 US$ | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 149,632 constant 2022 US$ | +5.0% |
| 1985 | 135,614 constant 2022 US$ | -9.4% |
| 1986 | 154,285 constant 2022 US$ | +13.8% |
| 1987 | 159,896 constant 2022 US$ | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 164,104 constant 2022 US$ | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 162,452 constant 2022 US$ | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 168,423 constant 2022 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 173,809 constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 187,740 constant 2022 US$ | +8.0% |
| 1993 | 187,539 constant 2022 US$ | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 202,727 constant 2022 US$ | +8.1% |
| 1995 | 202,765 constant 2022 US$ | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 198,632 constant 2022 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1997 | 200,955 constant 2022 US$ | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 199,674 constant 2022 US$ | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 228,176 constant 2022 US$ | +14.3% |
| 2000 | 240,592 constant 2022 US$ | +5.4% |
| 2001 | 239,696 constant 2022 US$ | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 258,045 constant 2022 US$ | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 328,943 constant 2022 US$ | +27.5% |
| 2004 | 379,903 constant 2022 US$ | +15.5% |
| 2005 | 378,410 constant 2022 US$ | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 410,739 constant 2022 US$ | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 472,740 constant 2022 US$ | +15.1% |
| 2008 | 508,893 constant 2022 US$ | +7.6% |
| 2009 | 448,486 constant 2022 US$ | -11.9% |
| 2010 | 483,979 constant 2022 US$ | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 512,504 constant 2022 US$ | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 519,711 constant 2022 US$ | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 501,399 constant 2022 US$ | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 486,676 constant 2022 US$ | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 490,338 constant 2022 US$ | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 506,685 constant 2022 US$ | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 546,606 constant 2022 US$ | +7.9% |
| 2018 | 581,428 constant 2022 US$ | +6.4% |
| 2019 | 640,746 constant 2022 US$ | +10.2% |
| 2020 | 641,973 constant 2022 US$ | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 628,236 constant 2022 US$ | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 637,627 constant 2022 US$ | +1.5% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 637,627 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 182,526 constant 2022 US$, 3.5× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Australia's 637,627 constant 2022 US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28,962 constant 2022 US$, 22.0× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per military personnel in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | +322.5% | 25,810 constant 2022 US$ | 109,039 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1951 | +85.6% | 44,464 constant 2022 US$ | 82,520 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1940 | -72.2% | 133,941 constant 2022 US$ | 37,263 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1943 | +69.9% | 20,766 constant 2022 US$ | 35,287 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1936 | +60.9% | 37,282 constant 2022 US$ | 59,970 constant 2022 US$ |
| 1947 | -51.8% | 109,039 constant 2022 US$ | 52,511 constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 41,784 constant 2022 US$ | 25,383 constant 2022 US$ | 48,386 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1930s | 55,268 constant 2022 US$ | 30,622 constant 2022 US$ | 133,941 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1940s | 46,664 constant 2022 US$ | 20,766 constant 2022 US$ | 109,039 constant 2022 US$ | 9 |
| 1950s | 77,375 constant 2022 US$ | 44,464 constant 2022 US$ | 129,320 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1960s | 61,153 constant 2022 US$ | 47,575 constant 2022 US$ | 77,834 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 114,195 constant 2022 US$ | 66,644 constant 2022 US$ | 139,540 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 150,569 constant 2022 US$ | 135,614 constant 2022 US$ | 164,104 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 195,044 constant 2022 US$ | 168,423 constant 2022 US$ | 228,176 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 366,645 constant 2022 US$ | 239,696 constant 2022 US$ | 508,893 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 527,007 constant 2022 US$ | 483,979 constant 2022 US$ | 640,746 constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 635,945 constant 2022 US$ | 628,236 constant 2022 US$ | 641,973 constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 2 United States 762,321 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 3 Libya 677,720 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 4 Sweden 638,754 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 6 United Kingdom 535,686 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 7 Luxembourg 525,476 constant 2022 US$ compare
- 8 Kuwait 525,210 constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per military personnel in Australia?
- Military spending per military personnel in Australia was 637,627 constant 2022 US$ in 2022, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 641,973 constant 2022 US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,766 constant 2022 US$ in 1941.
- How does Australia rank for military spending per military personnel?
- Australia ranks 5th out of 170 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025); Correlates of War – National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 102 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.