Start the academic year 2024/2025. Since the nursery schools to universities, to students everywhere Spain start during this month of September the course. Without going any further, the queen herself Letizia It was inaugurated this Wednesday at the Early Childhood and Primary School Professor Plácida HerranzIn Azuqueca of Henares (Guadalajara). He did so in the company of the Minister of Education, Pilar Alegriaand the President of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano Garcia-Page.
The start of the school year is therefore a reality. A reality that costs the Spanish more 11,200 euros per student each year. More precisely, the Total public and private expenditure per student in Spain in primary and higher education establishments – universities and vocational training – amounts to 11,245.96 euros per student –12,446 US dollars–. This is reflected in the study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Education at a glance. OECD Indicators 2024 published this Tuesday.
In this analysis, it is evident that even if Spain increase in total education expenditure by 2.6% Between 2015 and 2021 – the last year included in the report – there are still behind average expenses of the European Union and countries of the OECD. THE EU average expenditure on the education of each student 12,477.71 euros –$13,787– and the OECD average pay 12,859.64 euros –$14,209–. Or what amounts to the same thing, our country spends between 1,200 and 1,700 euros less per student than the countries around us.
Both in Spain As in other educationally decentralized countries, there are also regional differences in education spending. In our country, reports the OECDThe autonomous community with the highest spending per student is the Basque Countrywho invests 1.8 times more this autonomy with less expense, Community of Madrid. In addition, and as is the case in the rest of the countries around us, spending on Education At each stage, the situation is different, with higher education being more expensive than secondary and primary education respectively.
Public and private expenditure on primary education
If the data is broken down by stages, the OECD clearly indicates that Spain is at the bottom of Europe in terms of spending per pupil in primary schoolsIn this sense, Spain is disbursing 9,214.16 euros per student –$10,181– each year, while the average EU is of 10,387.99 euros –$11,478–. More than 1,500 euros more. The average expenditure per child in primary school OECD it all comes from 10,771.72 euros –$11,902–.
At this educational stage, the country that spends the most is Norwaywith 16,372.42 euros invested per child –$18,037–. The Nordic country continues to spend USA And Suede. In the total queue of primary expenditure is Pepperwith an investment per student of 5,761.25 euros –$6,347–.
Total annual public and private expenditure per student, by level of education in different countries.
In SpainThe annual expenditure per student can be covered by both the public sector as well as the private sector, including families. In the case of PrimaryThe relevant institutions – Government and communities – pay for a primary school student in a public school 10,187.29 euros –$11,201–. On the other hand, families are struggling a private schoolon average, 7,253.85 euros per year and per child. In dollars, 8,015.
Once again, public and private primary spending in Spain is lower than below EU and OECD averages. The first expenses per child in a public school 10,546.72 euros –$11,619– and in a private 10,258.06 euros –$11,301–. The second, 11,077.73 euros –$12,204– in a public establishment and 11,130.37 euros –$12,262– in a private sector.
Secondary and tertiary expenses
By spending for Secondary education and the Tertiarywhich brings together diplomas and masters from universities and professional training cycles, Spain is also behind the EU and the OECDwho spend 6% and 5% more. Our country spends 11,350.04 euros –$12,541– per year for each student in Secondary And 14,167.41 euros –$15,654– for each university student or professional.
Countries that spend the most Secondary education are Norwaywith an investment of 17,592.38 euros –$19,381–, and The Netherlandswith an expenditure of 16,256.23 euros –$17,909– per student each year. The level of Higher education is the one that presents the most significant differences between countries, since the 32,926.38 euros –$36,274– USA (2.3 times more than in Spain) up to 9,728.87 euros –$10,718– Pepper.
| Total expenditure per student in Spain | Average expenditure per student in the EU | Average expenditure per student in the OECD area | |
| Total | 11,245.96 € | 12,477.71 € | 12,859.64 € |
| In Primary | 9,214.16 € | €10,387.99 | 10,771.72 € |
| In secondary school | 11,350.04 € | 12,059.59 € | 12,058.68 € |
| University and FP | 14,167.41 € | 18 125,13 € | 18,552.31 € |
Source: OECD | Own development
Despite this, and despite the fact that Spanish investment per student is lower than the average EU or the countries of OECDThe report explains that Spain This is generally the average of the students’ results. For example, “in the case of Spain“With cumulative expenditure per student lower than international averages, students’ results in mathematical skills are similar to averages,” the study said.
