Public education expenditure

In 2020, the Confederation, cantons and communes spent CHF 40.8 billion on education. This amount corresponds to 16.2% of the total public expenditure and to 5.9% of the gross domestic product.

Key figures

In Switzerland 91% of expenditure on education is incurred as current expenses, the remaining 9% as investments. With CHF 27.1 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, 2020

in CHF millions	Switzerland		Confederation	Cantons	Communes
Total	40'796	100%	4'600	25'219	10'977
of which salaries	27'137	67%	2'395	18'417	6'325
Compulsory education and special schools	20'404	50%	23	9'609	10'771
Upper secondary level	5'880	14%	151	5'579	149
Tertiary level	9'376	23%	1'341	8'025	11
Research	4'462	11%	3'072	1'387	2
Non-attributable expenditure	674	2%	13	618	43

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

Financial flows

Education is not always funded directly, but also in the form of contributions to the expenditure of other administrative levels. In 2020, for example, the Confederation invested a total of CHF 7.6 billion for education, of which CHF 4.6 billion have been spent directly and CHF 3.0 billion via the cantons.

Further information

Graphs

Publications