Countries in North America Ranked by Education expenditure share of GDP (2023)
Education expenditure share of GDP: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Cuba ranks #1 with 8.44% of GDP (2022). St. Vincent and the Grenadines is second with 6.46% of GDP, 30.7% behind. The top five are Cuba, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Curaçao and United States. The median across all 31 is 3.76% of GDP; Haiti is last at 0.965% of GDP. Cuba's figure has risen 25% since 1999 (6.76% of GDP to 8.44% of GDP in 2022).
- #1
- Cuba · 8.44% of GDP
- Median
- 3.76% of GDP
- Coverage
- 31 countries in North America
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Education expenditure share of GDP (% of GDP) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cuba | 8.44 | 2022 |
| 2 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 6.46 | 2023 |
| 3 | Jamaica | 5.51 | 2024 |
| 4 | Curaçao | 5.44 | 2024 |
| 5 | United States | 5.42 | 2021 |
| 6 | Dominica | 5.39 | 2024 |
| 7 | Costa Rica | 5.31 | 2023 |
| 8 | Grenada | 5.13 | 2023 |
| 9 | Canada | 4.84 | 2022 |
| 10 | Belize | 4.62 | 2024 |
| 11 | Honduras | 4.55 | 2023 |
| 12 | Puerto Rico (US) | 4.27 | 2024 |
| 13 | Mexico | 4.06 | 2022 |
| 14 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 3.92 | 2023 |
| 15 | St. Lucia | 3.85 | 2024 |
| 16 | Dominican Republic | 3.76 | 2023 |
| 17 | Aruba | 3.62 | 2021 |
| 18 | Barbados | 3.56 | 2024 |
| 19 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 3.5 | 2023 |
| 20 | El Salvador | 3.32 | 2024 |
| 21 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3.23 | 2023 |
| 22 | British Virgin Islands | 3.17 | 2023 |
| 23 | Antigua and Barbuda | 3.11 | 2023 |
| 24 | Guatemala | 3.08 | 2024 |
| 25 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 2.95 | 2024 |
| 26 | Nicaragua | 2.87 | 2023 |
| 27 | Bahamas, The | 2.74 | 2023 |
| 28 | Panama | 2.47 | 2023 |
| 29 | Bermuda | 1.87 | 2023 |
| 30 | Cayman Islands | 1.57 | 2023 |
| 31 | Haiti | 0.965 | 2023 |
About the top 10
#1 Cuba
Cuba ranks #1 on this list with 8.44% of GDP (2022).
- Capital
- Havana
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 10.94 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$107.35 billion (2020)
- GDP per person
- US$9,605 (2020)
- Life expectancy
- 78.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 77.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Havana.
Also ranks #1 in physicians per 1,000 · #2 in women in parliament share · #3 in immunisation (measles) rate.
#2 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines ranks #2 on this list with 6.46% of GDP.
- Capital
- Kingstown
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 99,924 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.26 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,562 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 48% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in homicide rate · #5 in cereal yield · #6 in youth unemployment rate.
#3 Jamaica
Jamaica ranks #3 on this list with 5.51% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Kingston
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.71 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,003 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.4% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in debt service share of exports · #4 in homicide rate · #6 in immunisation (dpt) rate.
#4 Curaçao
Curaçao ranks #4 on this list with 5.44% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Willemstad
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 156,260 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.56 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$22,833 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 77 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 91.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #22 in energy use per capita · #23 in female population share.
#5 United States
United States ranks #5 on this list with 5.42% of GDP (2021).
- Capital
- Washington, D.C.
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 341.78 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$30.77 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$90,027 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: New York metropolitan area, New York City, Chicago.
Also ranks #1 in gdp (current us$) · #1 in health expenditure per capita · #1 in imports of goods and services.
#6 Dominica
Dominica ranks #6 on this list with 5.39% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Roseau
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 65,871 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$723.86 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,989 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 71.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in forest area share · #9 in political stability score · #13 in homicide rate.
#7 Costa Rica
Costa Rica ranks #7 on this list with 5.31% of GDP.
- Capital
- San José
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.15 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$102.9 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in immunisation (dpt) rate · #4 in fertiliser consumption · #8 in women in parliament share.
#8 Grenada
Grenada ranks #8 on this list with 5.13% of GDP.
- Capital
- St. George's
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 117,300 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.42 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$12,107 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 75.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 36.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #15 in gini index · #16 in income share of richest 10% · #23 in homicide rate.
#9 Canada
Canada ranks #9 on this list with 4.84% of GDP (2022).
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.32 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$55,698 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary.
Also ranks #2 in surface area · #3 in forest area · #4 in land area.
#10 Belize
Belize ranks #10 on this list with 4.62% of GDP (2024).
- Capital
- Belmopan
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 422,920 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.33 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,866 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 41.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in secure internet servers per million · #12 in homicide rate · #14 in time to start a business (days).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Education expenditure share of GDP: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP): Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.