| Absolute value | Share of gross domestic product (GDP) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Area | Billions of euros | Share (%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A Education budget in international demarcation (ISCED 2011)
2) | 157.5 | 161.2 | 163.4 | 167.5 | 173.0 | 176.4 | 181.9 | 189.3 | 197.9 | 210.4 | 219.9 | 230.1 | 242.7 | 255.8 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.1 |
A30 Expenditure on educational institutions (state and private funded) | 138.4 | 141.7 | 144.5 | 148.6 | 154.0 | 157.5 | 162.8 | 170.0 | 178.2 | 189.4 | 197.1 | 208.6 | 220.7 | 231.0 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.5 |
A31 ISCED 0: pre-primary level
3) | 19.5 | 20.5 | 22.2 | 24.1 | 25.7 | 26.7 | 28.4 | 30.3 | 32.6 | 35.3 | 37.4 | 40.4 | 43.9 | 47.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
Of which, expenditure on children aged younger than 3 years | 5.9 | 6.4 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 9.2 | 9.6 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 12.3 | 13.3 | 13.9 | 14.7 | 16.2 | 17.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
Of which, expenditure on children aged from 3 to school entrance | 13.6 | 14.1 | 15.1 | 16.0 | 16.6 | 17.1 | 18.0 | 19.1 | 20.3 | 22.0 | 23.5 | 25.7 | 27.6 | 29.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
A32 ISCED 1-4: school and levels close to school, of which: | 85.7 | 86.3 | 86.5 | 87.8 | 90.0 | 91.4 | 93.5 | 97.3 | 101.0 | 106.7 | 110.9 | 117.3 | 123.1 | 129.8 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
General programmes | 62.1 | 63.0 | 62.6 | 64.0 | 66.1 | 67.2 | 68.8 | 71.0 | 74.0 | 78.7 | 82.7 | 86.7 | 91.3 | 96.3 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
Vocational programmes
4) | 10.9 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.7 | 10.9 | 11.2 | 11.7 | 12.4 | 12.8 | 13.5 | 13.8 | 14.8 | 15.5 | 16.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
In-company training under the dual system
5) | 10.6 | 10.3 | 10.8 | 10.7 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 11.3 | 11.5 | 11.8 | 11.6 | 13.1 | 13.3 | 14.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
A33 ISCED 5-8: tertiary level
6) | 30.9 | 32.6 | 33.6 | 34.4 | 36.0 | 37.2 | 38.3 | 39.7 | 41.7 | 44.4 | 45.8 | 47.6 | 50.1 | 50.5 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
Of which, vocational programmes | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Of which, academic programmes (at higher education institutions) | 28.6 | 30.3 | 31.1 | 31.8 | 33.2 | 34.2 | 35.0 | 36.4 | 38.2 | 40.5 | 42.3 | 43.8 | 46.4 | 46.4 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
Of which, research and development at higher education institutions | 12.7 | 13.5 | 14.0 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 15.3 | 16.6 | 17.3 | 18.4 | 19.2 | 20.0 | 20.7 | 22.0 | 22.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
A34 Others (without ISCED classification)
7) | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
A40 Expenditure of private households on educational products and services beyond educational institutions | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
A50 Expenditure on the assistance to participants in ISCED education programmes | 13.4 | 13.7 | 13.1 | 13.0 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 12.7 | 12.9 | 13.2 | 14.2 | 15.9 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 16.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
B Additional education-relevant expenditure in national demarcation | 17.7 | 17.3 | 17.4 | 18.3 | 18.8 | 19.2 | 20.5 | 20.9 | 21.9 | 23.0 | 21.3 | 23.9 | 24.7 | 27.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
B10 Continuing vocational education
8) | 10.0 | 10.2 | 10.6 | 10.9 | 11.2 | 11.1 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 12.0 | 12.7 | 11.0 | 13.7 | 14.7 | 15.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
B20 Expenditure on other educational opportunities | 6.6 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 10.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
B30 Assistance to participants in continuing education
9) | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
A to B Total Education budget | 175.2 | 178.6 | 180.8 | 185.8 | 191.7 | 195.5 | 202.4 | 210.2 | 219.8 | 233.4 | 241.2 | 254.0 | 267.5 | 282.8 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.8 |
C Research and development
10) | 70.0 | 75.6 | 79.1 | 79.7 | 84.2 | 88.8 | 92.2 | 99.6 | 104.7 | 110.0 | 106.6 | 113.2 | 121.4 | 129.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
C40 Higher education institutions (additionally included in ISCED 5 to 8 | 12.7 | 13.5 | 14.0 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 15.3 | 16.6 | 17.3 | 18.4 | 19.2 | 20.0 | 20.7 | 22.0 | 22.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
D Other education and science infrastructure | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 7.9 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
A to D Total expenditure for education, research and science (consolidated by higher education expenditure on R&D) | 237.4 | 245.7 | 251.3 | 256.7 | 266.6 | 274.8 | 284.0 | 298.9 | 311.8 | 330.3 | 334.2 | 352.9 | 373.7 | 398.0 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.6 | 9.5 |
Source: Federal Statistical Office (Bildungsfinanzbericht, "Budget für Bildung, Forschung und Wissenschaft")
Notes:
1) Implementation accounting, based on the 2015 classification concept; 2023 figures are preliminary calculations. Change in data basis as of 2021; results for 2021 have been revised. Possible rounding differences.
2) ISCED = International Standard Classification of Education.
3) Crèches, kindergartens, pre-school classes, school kindergartens.
4) Including schools for nurses, midwives etc., excluding trade and technical schools, specialised academies, vocational academies.
5) Expenditure on company-based, extra-company and inter-company training under the dual system including training grants by the Federal Employment Agency, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
6) Excluding expenditure on patient treatment; including expenditure on trade and technical schools, specialised academies, vocational academies, R&D at higher education institutions, and the student services.
7) Expenditure can not be related to particular ISCED levels (including the estimated expenditure on training for civil servants, services of the public administration, and teacher training courses).
8) Estimate of the costs of continuing vocational training provided by companies is based on the results of the employment accounts in national accounts and the continuing vocational training survey (CVTS). No adjustment for possible double counting at external training programmes (e.g. at institutions of higher education). As of reporting year 2020, data from the 6th European survey on continuing vocational training (reference year 2020) will be used. As of the 2021 reporting year, statistics on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are additionally taken into account for estimating training costs.
9) Payments from the Federal Employment Agency to participants in continuing vocational education. It was not possible to eliminate cases (dual system, continuing education) where grants may have been included twice.
10) Calculated using research and development (R&D) statistical methods (Frascati Manual/OECD report).
Last update: June 26, 2025
This work is licensed under a Data licence Germany attribution 2.0.
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