Public education expenditure

In 2016, the Confederation, cantons and communes spent CHF 37.2 billion on education. This amount corresponds to 17,5% of the total public expenditure and 5,6% of the gross domestic product. 
Education is not always funded directly, but also in the form of contributions towards the expenditure undertaken by other administrative levels. In 2016, for example, the Confederation invested a total of CHF 6.4 billion for education, of which CHF 3.6 billion have been spent directly and CHF 2.8 billion via the cantons.

In Switzerland 91% of expenditure on education is incurred as current expenses, the remaining 9% as investments. With CHF 25 billion, 67% of total education expenditure is spent on staff salaries.
In the distribution of public expenditure on education according to the degree of education compulsory schooling represents the most important part.

Public education expenditure by the administrative level making the expenditure and the educational level, 2016

in CHF millions	Confederation	Cantons	Communes	Total in %
Total	3’640	23’472	10’061	100.0
of which salaries	2’021	16’921	5’794	66.5
Compulsory education and special schools	16	8’632	9’829	49.7
Upper secondary level	85	5’683	181	16.0
Tertiary level	1’160	7’296	5	22.8
Research	2’372	1’351	2	10.0
Non-attributable expenditure	8	510	44	1.5

Sources: FSO - Public education expenditure (ÖBA); FFA - Financial Statistics

At national level the public education expenditure of the financial statistics of the Federal Finance Administration is the only data source that enables a uniform analysis of education finance from primary to university. It is completed with the higher education funding statistics (Finances and costs of higher education) that covers both public and private funding.