Adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa

South Africa: Adjusted savings: education expenditure was 26.70 billion current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
26.70 billion current US$
Change on year
up 33.0%
World rank
27th
of 195 countries
All-time high
26.70 billion current US$
in 2021
All-time low
1.04 billion current US$
in 1970
Years of data
52
1970–2021

Adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa, 1970–2021

010.0B20.0B30.0B197019952021

Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.

Analysis

The most recent figure for adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa is 26.70 billion current US$, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 33.0% on the previous year and up 1.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa peaked at 26.70 billion current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.04 billion current US$, in 1970.

That places South Africa 27th out of 195 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Adjusted savings: education expenditure (current US$) in South Africa, 1970 to 2021.
Year current US$ Change
1970 1.04 billion current US$
1971 1.15 billion current US$ +10.7%
1972 1.20 billion current US$ +4.6%
1973 1.63 billion current US$ +35.8%
1974 2.02 billion current US$ +24.1%
1975 2.08 billion current US$ +3.1%
1976 2.00 billion current US$ -4.2%
1977 2.20 billion current US$ +9.9%
1978 2.50 billion current US$ +13.9%
1979 3.06 billion current US$ +22.2%
1980 4.34 billion current US$ +41.8%
1981 4.51 billion current US$ +4.0%
1982 4.17 billion current US$ -7.6%
1983 4.68 billion current US$ +12.2%
1984 4.13 billion current US$ -11.8%
1985 3.12 billion current US$ -24.4%
1986 3.55 billion current US$ +13.8%
1987 4.39 billion current US$ +23.7%
1988 4.84 billion current US$ +10.2%
1989 4.82 billion current US$ -0.5%
1990 5.85 billion current US$ +21.4%
1991 7.00 billion current US$ +19.7%
1992 9.27 billion current US$ +32.4%
1993 8.24 billion current US$ -11.1%
1994 8.31 billion current US$ +0.9%
1995 10.82 billion current US$ +30.2%
1996 8.81 billion current US$ -18.6%
1997 10.94 billion current US$ +24.2%
1998 9.12 billion current US$ -16.7%
1999 8.75 billion current US$ -4.0%
2000 7.80 billion current US$ -10.9%
2001 6.76 billion current US$ -13.4%
2002 6.48 billion current US$ -4.1%
2003 9.39 billion current US$ +44.9%
2004 12.55 billion current US$ +33.7%
2005 14.14 billion current US$ +12.7%
2006 14.94 billion current US$ +5.6%
2007 15.75 billion current US$ +5.4%
2008 14.96 billion current US$ -5.0%
2009 16.83 billion current US$ +12.5%
2010 22.71 billion current US$ +34.9%
2011 26.36 billion current US$ +16.0%
2012 26.47 billion current US$ +0.4%
2013 23.21 billion current US$ -12.3%
2014 22.19 billion current US$ -4.4%
2015 19.07 billion current US$ -14.1%
2016 16.68 billion current US$ -12.6%
2017 20.30 billion current US$ +21.7%
2018 21.68 billion current US$ +6.8%
2019 22.03 billion current US$ +1.6%
2020 20.08 billion current US$ -8.9%
2021 26.70 billion current US$ +33.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 1.89 billion current US$ 1.04 billion current US$ 3.06 billion current US$ 10
1980s 4.25 billion current US$ 3.12 billion current US$ 4.84 billion current US$ 10
1990s 8.71 billion current US$ 5.85 billion current US$ 10.94 billion current US$ 10
2000s 11.96 billion current US$ 6.48 billion current US$ 16.83 billion current US$ 10
2010s 22.07 billion current US$ 16.68 billion current US$ 26.47 billion current US$ 10
2020s 23.39 billion current US$ 20.08 billion current US$ 26.70 billion current US$ 2

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 24 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 31.19 billion current US$ compare
  2. 25 Poland 29.34 billion current US$ compare
  3. 26 Israel 26.73 billion current US$ compare
  4. 28 Denmark 25.72 billion current US$ compare
  5. 29 Argentina 24.06 billion current US$ compare
  6. 30 Austria 23.49 billion current US$ compare

See the full ranking of 195 places →

More economy & growth data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa?
Adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa was 26.70 billion current US$ in 2021, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
What is the highest adjusted savings: education expenditure recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 26.70 billion current US$ in 2021.
What is the lowest adjusted savings: education expenditure recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1.04 billion current US$ in 1970.
How does South Africa rank for adjusted savings: education expenditure?
South Africa ranks 27th out of 195 countries with data for 2021.
Is adjusted savings: education expenditure rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Adjusted savings: education expenditure (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Adjusted savings: education expenditure in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/adjusted-savings-education-expenditure-current-us/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Adjusted savings: education expenditure (current US$)
Unit
current US$
Source
Staff estimates, World Bank (WB)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
195 places, 8,370 data points, 1970–2021
Last refreshed

Education expenditure refers to the current operating expenditures in education, including wages and salaries and excluding capital investments in buildings and equipment. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.