Public spending on education across the EU, from pre-primary to tertiary education, stood at 4.7% of GDP, with Greece ranking second-last at 3.3%.
The highest total public spending on educational institutions was recorded in the EU’s most populous countries. In 2023, Germany spent €185.6 billion, followed by France with €142.7 billion, according to in.gr.
Greece spent just under €7.5 billion on education, equivalent to 3.3% of GDP, ranking ahead of Romania at 3% and behind Malta at 3.4%.
Sweden (6.8%), Finland (6.3%) and Belgium (6.2%) recorded the highest shares, while Romania (3%), Greece (3.3%) and Malta (3.4%) recorded the lowest.
In practical terms, for every €100 of GDP, Greece spends €3.30 on public education, compared with an EU average of €4.70.
In nine of the 16 EU countries for which data are available, teachers’ salaries accounted for the largest share of spending on educational institutions in 2023.
Eurostat notes that falling birth rates and demographic changes have reduced the school-age population in many EU countries, a trend that is expected to continue. This could affect indicators such as average education spending per student, which is also influenced by factors such as the participation of young children in education.
Source: in.gr
