Total expenditure per child in pre-primary education increased from USD 9 555 in 2015 to USD 11 329 in 2023 on average across OECD countries (accounting for inflation).
Government expenditure per child has grown even faster on average, with an increase of around 32% across OECD countries over the same period, pointing to a strengthening role for public financing.
Government expenditure on 3-5 year-olds enrolled in education accounts for 0.52% of GDP across OECD countries, while considering expenditure from all sources (including private and non-domestic funding) increases this to 0.6% of GDP.
Education at a Glance 2026
OECD Indicators
Expenditure on educational institutions, in equivalent USD converted using PPPs for GDP
1. Data include or exclude some categories, please refer to the source table for more information.
2. Year of reference 2022.
For data, see Table C2.1. The data for this figure can be accessed via https://stat.link/4y0jap.
Context
Investment in early childhood education (ECE) can ensure better access and higher-quality care for young children. Furthermore, expenditure dedicated to ECE can be a policy lever to increase women’s labour-market participation rates and promote equity by ensuring strong foundations for further learning for disadvantaged children. Widely available and affordable early childhood education is also used a means to increase birth rates and limit demographic decline.
Interpreting ECE funding requires different consideration than at other levels of education. Young children require close and frequent adult supervision, raising the cost of provision. The ages covered by ECE contain a mix of compulsory and non-compulsory (but sometimes free) years of education, the structure of which varies across countries. In addition, ECE programmes vary widely in how long children attend each day. Yet data on hours of participation in ECE are limited, making it impossible to calculate the full-time-equivalent (FTE) enrolment counts that are the basis for the per-student expenditure data used in other chapters. As a result, expenditure per child at the early childhood educational development and pre-primary levels is based on total spending divided by the number of children enrolled, rather than on an FTE basis. This may distort comparisons, as countries with shorter attendance hours can appear to invest less per child. In addition, not all countries report finance data for early childhood educational development, limiting most analysis to pre-primary education. The data also only cover programmes meeting ISCED classification criteria, such as requiring at least 2 hours of educational activities per day and 100 days a year (see the Definitions section in Chapter B1). The figures in this chapter do not capture funding of provision without such explicit educational requirements, or home-based or informally organised care, underestimating the scale of early childhood education in countries where such arrangements are common.
Other findings
Expenditure per child aged 3 to 5 typically amounts to around 18-34% of GDP per capita across OECD countries, showing a relatively narrow range of investment intensity by this measure.
On average across OECD countries, 78% of current expenditure in pre-primary education is allocated to staff compensation (representing salaries, retirement pensions and other non-salary staff compensation).
Expenditure on staff compensation in pre-primary education is USD 10 702 per child on average across OECD countries, ranging from between USD 8 000 and USD 14 000 in 17 out of 31 countries with available data.
Expenditure per child in early childhood education
Early childhood educational development and pre-primary education
The data on early childhood educational development (ISCED 01) show wide differences in expenditure per child across OECD countries, alongside many missing observations. Of the 38 OECD countries, 21 do not report expenditure at this level, either because data are not available or because no provision is classified as ISCED 01. One reason is that provision for young children sometimes falls under the responsibility of a different ministry from the one responsible for primary and secondary education, and is considered care rather than education. Among the countries with available data, total expenditure on early childhood educational development (from government, private and non-domestic sources) is highest in Nordic countries (over USD 35 000 per child in Finland, Iceland and Norway). The lowest levels of expenditure are in Hungary, Israel and Lithuania (below USD 9 000 per child) (Table C2.1).
Where comparable figures exist, the gap between total and government expenditure on early childhood educational development tends to be relatively large. The gap reflects not only private spending, but also the use of public to private transfers (such as childcare subsidies), which are included in total expenditure but not recorded under government expenditure in Table C2.1. As a result, the difference between total and government expenditure captures both indirect public funding and private contributions (as well as non-domestic sources, which tend to account for a very small share). These patterns are consistent with the structural features of provision for the youngest children: more limited coverage, fragmented service delivery and financing models that rely less on direct public provision and more on mixed or subsidy-based systems than those typically found at higher levels of education.
In contrast, at pre-primary level, total expenditure per child tends to fall within a narrower range than for early childhood educational development. Out of the 32 OECD countries with data at this level, 20 spend in the range USD 10 000 to USD 18 000 per child, with an OECD average of USD 13 904. This reflects the near-universal nature of pre-primary education, with enrolment rates among 5-year-olds of over 95% in 28 OECD countries and over 89% in all OECD countries (see Table B1.2). In addition, government expenditure (USD 11 928 on average across OECD countries) is closer to total expenditure (OECD average USD 13 574) at this level, indicating a larger role in direct government expenditure and a smaller share of private contributions (whether subsidised or not) at this level (Figure C2.1). Expenditure on staff compensation in pre-primary education is USD 10 702 per child on average across OECD countries, ranging from between USD 8 000 and USD 14 000 in 17 out of 31 countries with available data.
Trends in expenditure per child on pre-primary education
Total expenditure per child in pre-primary institutions grew in most countries between 2015 and 2023, with the OECD average increasing from USD 9 555 to USD 11 329 (measured in constant 2020 US dollars, adjusted for purchasing power parity), an increase of 27% on average. Government expenditure grew even more strongly on average (32%). There is much variation in the magnitude of changes across countries. Some systems experienced strong increases, such as Lithuania, where government and total expenditure increased by over 130%, and Korea, where both measures increased by over 70%. Others saw more moderate increases or even declines. Norway and Sweden, for example, experienced moderate decreases, but their levels of expenditure per child remain among the highest across OECD countries (Table C2.3).
In most countries, both total and government expenditure per child moved in the same direction, but government expenditure tended to grow faster, narrowing the gap between the two, as was the case in Finland, Germany and Korea. This suggests a strengthening of direct public financing relative to other sources. The difference in pace was very marked in Japan, where government spending increased by 92%, much more rapidly than expenditure, which grew by 24%. The United Kingdom is the only country where the direction of change was different in these two measures: total expenditure per child in pre-primary education fell, even as government expenditure increased over this period (Table C2.3).
Expenditure per child aged 3 to 5
Measuring spending on 3-5 year-olds enrolled in education allows comparisons to be made between countries regardless of where they draw the line between early childhood education and primary education. In addition, unlike measures that focus on a particular level of education, it is not affected by differences in the age composition of the target population. Age greatly influences the amount of expenditure per child – younger children require higher adult-child ratios, leading to higher personnel costs per child. But children start and stop the different stages of early childhood education at different ages across countries, meaning they will have different age profiles in different countries (see Chapter B1 and Chapter B2). All other things being equal, spending per child in pre-primary education will be higher in countries where primary education starts relatively early and the average age of children in pre-primary education is relatively young. Comparing expenditure for a defined age group such as 3-5 year-olds addresses this by limiting the effects of national enrolment age policies and hence offers a clearer basis for cross-country comparison.
Government expenditure per child aged 3 to 5 enrolled in education increased in most countries between 2015 and 2023, often at a rapid pace. Across OECD countries, the average growth was 34%, indicating an expanding public role in financing early childhood education. Several countries recorded substantial increases, with expenditure increasing by 92% in Japan, 85% in Korea and more than doubling in Lithuania. A further 20 OECD countries recorded more moderate increases. At the same time, this pattern is not universal. A few countries show very limited change, notably the United Kingdom which showed no change. In some countries, government expenditure per child fell. This was the case in Norway and Sweden, although both remain among the OECD countries with the highest the highest expenditure per child. (Figure C2.2).
In equivalent USD converted using PPPs for GDP, constant 2020 prices
1. Data include or exclude some categories, please refer to the source table for more information.
For data, see Table C2.3. The data for this figure can be accessed via https://stat.link/4y0jap.
Table C2.3 shows that total expenditure from all sources also increased between 2015 and 2023 across most OECD countries. Some countries saw moderate increases, e.g. Austria (23%), Finland (25%), Israel (28%), Japan (24%), Latvia (25%) and Spain (29%), where total expenditure grew by between 20% and 30%, while Lithuania (138%) and Korea (70%) saw much more rapid growth. As with government expenditure, the trends are not uniform across countries. A small number show stagnation or falls in spending per child, notably Sweden (- 9%) and the United Kingdom (- 13%), indicating either spending restraint or rising enrolment outpacing funding increases. Norway also shows a slight decrease in total spending (- 4%). In most countries, however, expenditure has increased over time, although at varying rates. Overall, the data point to a general upward trend in investment in early childhood education, alongside considerable cross-country variation in the pace of change.
Expenditure on children aged 3 to 5 relative to GDP
Most OECD countries dedicate the equivalent to 0.4-0.7% of GDP to education for children aged 3 to 5. One group of countries stands out for their relatively high investment by this measure, notably Iceland (1.08% of GDP), Israel (0.86%) and Estonia and Sweden (0.82%). These values are driven by policy priorities, as well as demographic factors (for example, in Israel the share of children aged 0-4 is nearly twice the average for high-income countries (United Nations, 2024[1])). At the lower end, Japan allocates a smaller share of national income (0.14%) to education for children aged 3 to 5 (Table C2.4, available online).
The data on total expenditure on early childhood education per child relative to GDP per capita show that in 2023, most OECD countries invested within a relatively narrow range, typically between about 16% and 29% of GDP per capita per 3-5 year-old. A smaller group of countries stands out with higher relative spending levels, with Finland, Iceland and Lithuania spending the equivalent of around 30% or more of GDP per capita on every 3-5 year-old in education. At the lower end, Colombia, Israel and the Netherlands spend between 7% and 15% of GDP per capita per 3-5 year-old (Table C2.5, available online).
Distribution of expenditure within public institutions
Table C2.2 provides data on the distribution of expenditure in public pre-primary institutions (the focus on public institutions allows for greater country coverage, as these data are not collected for independent private institutions). Current expenditure accounts for 93% of reported total expenditure on public pre-primary institutions on average across OECD countries. Expenditure on staff compensation is the largest component of current expenditure (78% on average across OECD countries). Within this, 20 countries were able to provide a breakdown between teaching and non-teaching staff at this level of education. Compensation for teaching staff accounts for the largest share of current expenditure in most countries, often representing between 50% and 70% of total current expenditure. In some systems, such as Colombia and Greece, this share is even higher at near 80% or more. Expenditure on non-teaching staff is generally much lower, typically ranging between around 10% and 30%, but with some exceptions. For example, Austria and Lithuania devote over 30% of current expenditure to the compensation of non-teaching staff.
Within staff costs, salaries represent the largest component, often making up the majority of spending – for example, Austria (75%), Italy (81%) and Luxembourg (69%). However, there is significant variation in the proportions of the different components of staff compensation (i.e. salaries, retirement pensions and other non-salary staff compensation), driven by differences in employment conditions, pension systems and accounting practices (Table C2.2).
For the definition of expenditure on educational institutions, government expenditure on educational institutions and private expenditure on educational institutions, refer to Chapter C1.
For an overview of the methodology based on the joint data collection by UNESCO, the OECD and Eurostat (UOE), see Chapter C1. For more detailed information, please refer to the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics (OECD, 2018[2]). For country-specific notes, see Education at a Glance 2026 Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes, (https://doi.org/10.1787/dcf64a14-en).
Data refer to the financial year 2023 (unless otherwise specified) and are based on the UNESCO, OECD and Eurostat (UOE) data collection on education statistics administered by the OECD in 2025 (for details see Education at a Glance 2026 Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes, (https://doi.org/10.1787/dcf64a14-en).
Data for China, India, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS), while data for Argentina and South Africa are partly sourced from UIS.
References
[2] OECD (2018), OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018: Concepts, Standards, Definitions and Classifications, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264304444-en.
[1] United Nations (2024), World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition, https://population.un.org/wpp/.
The data for the figures and tables in this chaptercan be downloaded via https://stat.link/4y0jap.
To access further data and/or other education indicators, please visit the OECD Data Explorer: http://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/4s. .
Data cut-off for the print publication 17 June 2026. Please note that the Data Explorer contains the most recent data.
a – category not applicable; b – break in series; d – contains data from another column; m – missing data; u – partial data; x – contained in another column (indicated in brackets). For further control codes, see the Reader’s Guide.
For further methodological information, see Education at a Glance 2026: Sources, Methodologies and Technical Notes, (https://doi.org/10.1787/dcf64a14-en).
Expenditure on educational institutions in equivalent USD converted using PPPs for GDP; by level of education
1. All ECEC (ISCED 0) excludes early childhood educational development (ISCED 01).
2. Includes some transfers and payments for education to non-educational private entities.
3. Excludes payments from private sources to educational institutions. Excludes expenditure from local governments and international sources on private institutions.
4. Includes some transfers and payments for education to non-educational private entities. All ECEC (ISCED 0) excludes early childhood educational development (ISCED 01). Data do not cover day care centres and integrated centres for early childhood education.
5. Government expenditure excludes expenditure on independent private institutions and local government expenditure on public institutions (web columns).
6. Total expenditure excludes some private sources expenditure for government-dependent private institutions.
7. Total expenditure excludes some private sources expenditure for private institutions.
8. Year of reference 2022.
The data for this table can be accessed via https://stat.link/4y0jap.
In per cent; expenditure from all sources; by level of education
Note: Columns showing the distribution of expenditure in early childhood educational development and all early childhood education are available for consultation online.
1. All ECEC (ISCED 0) excludes early childhood educational development (ISCED 01) (web columns).
2. Total expenditure excludes private, international and local government expenditure.
3. All ECEC (ISCED 0) excludes early childhood educational development (ISCED 01) (web columns). Data do not cover day care centres and integrated centres for early childhood education.
4. All ECEC (ISCED 0) excludes early childhood educational development (ISCED 01).
5. Total current expenditure also includes expenditure for ancillary services.
6. Year of reference 2022.
7. Total expenditure excludes current expenditure on non-teaching staff.
The data for this table can be accessed via https://stat.link/4y0jap
Expenditure on public and private educational institutions
1. Includes some transfers and payments for education to non-educational private entities.
2. Total expenditure excludes private, international and local government expenditure.
3. Includes some transfers and payments for education to non-educational private entities. Data do not cover day care centres and integrated centres for early childhood education.
4. Data do not cover all ECEC programmes at ISCED 01 and 02, such as crèches and parental assistants.
5. Total expenditure excludes some private sources expenditure for government-dependent private institutions.
The data for this table can be accessed via https://stat.link/4y0jap