How much does education cost?
 |  | Between 1990 and 2003 the actual expenditure for education rose from CHF 16.2 to CHF 25.5 billion. After stagnating at the beginning of the 1990s though, the funds for education have been rising again since 1997. A total of 5.9 % of the Swiss gross domestic product (GDP) was spent on education and research in 2003. The share of education in public spending was 18.7 % in 1990 and 19 % in 2003. (Data BFS 2004) |
Development of educational expenditure
Development of educational expenditure
Educational spending rose by around 28 % between 1990 and 2003. This fact is due to the rising number of pupils and students (+15 %) plus the changing of demands on courses and new educational offers. In comparison to last year educational spending rose by 3 % in 2003. Educational spending for pre-schools and compulsory schools rose between 1990 and 2003 from CHF 8.5 to CHF 13.4 billion. The expenses for general education and vocational schools at upper secondary level rose from CHF 3.9to CHF 5.2 billion between 1990 and 2003. In the same interval expenditures for the tertiary level rose from CHF 3.4 to CHF 6.6 billion, of which the setting up of the universities of applied sciences took up a substantial share. Public spending on universities of applied sciences has risen by 58 % since 1998, with the number of students rising by 27 % during this period.
Between 1990 and 2003 the partition of expenditures by educational level remained the same: More than half of public expenditures goes to compulsory schools. Approximately one fifth of public expenditures on education goes to the upper secondary level, one fourth to the tertiary level.
(Data BFS 2005)
Financial proportion of the cantons and municipalities, together with the Confederation
Public expenditure on education amounted to CHF 25.8 billion in 2003. The cantons and their municipalities bear the brunt of the financing: In 2003 they contributed CHF 22.3 billion, 86 % of the expenditures on education is financed by public means. The Confederation contributed CHF 3.5 billion (14 %) in the same year.
Development of educational expenditure
Educational spending rose by around 28 % between 1990 and 2003. This fact is due to the rising number of pupils and students (+15 %) plus the changing of demands on courses and new educational offers. In comparison to last year educational spending rose by 3 % in 2003. Educational spending for pre-schools and compulsory schools rose between 1990 and 2003 from CHF 8.5 to CHF 13.4 billion. The expenses for general education and vocational schools at upper secondary level rose from CHF 3.9to CHF 5.2 billion between 1990 and 2003. In the same interval expenditures for the tertiary level rose from CHF 3.4 to CHF 6.6 billion, of which the setting up of the universities of applied sciences took up a substantial share. Public spending on universities of applied sciences has risen by 58 % since 1998, with the number of students rising by 27 % during this period.
Between 1990 and 2003 the partition of expenditures by educational level remained the same: More than half of public expenditures goes to compulsory schools. Approximately one fifth of public expenditures on education goes to the upper secondary level, one fourth to the tertiary level.
(Data BFS 2005)
Financial proportion of the cantons and municipalities, together with the Confederation
Public expenditure on education amounted to CHF 25.8 billion in 2003. The cantons and their municipalities bear the brunt of the financing: In 2003 they contributed CHF 22.3 billion, 86 % of the expenditures on education is financed by public means. The Confederation contributed CHF 3.5 billion (14 %) in the same year.
 | More than half of the educational expenses fall in the area of the compulsory schools (including the primary level and pupils with special curricula). This amounted to CHF 14.4 billion in 2003. The cantons and the municipalities bear the bulk of the financing of the upper secondary level. The Confederation contributes approx. 0.2 %. |
| In the area of upper secondary level, the cantons met most of the educational expenses, with the Confederation contributing 15.6 % to vocational education and 0.5 % to compulsory schools. |
| With regard to higher vocational education the cantons paid some 91 % of public expenditure, the Confederation contributing 8.4 %. With regard to universities (universities of applied sciences (FH), cantonal universities, Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH), the Confederation pays some 45 % of the educational expenses (around CHF 2.9 billion). Of this, the Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) received some 90 % and the universities some 26 %. (Data BFS 2005) |
