2026-10-08 CoPilot:
For students aged 12 to 18, the closest international comparison is lower secondary and upper secondary education (roughly Years 7-12). OECD data show that France spends more than the OECD average on secondary education, and is among the higher-spending European systems, though it is not the highest.
Annual expenditure per secondary student
The OECD reports that the average expenditure per secondary student across OECD countries is about USD 14,900 (PPP-adjusted).
France is generally above this average, particularly because:
Teacher salary costs per student are relatively high.
France maintains a large public secondary school system with substantial government funding.
Secondary education accounts for a larger share of GDP than in many OECD countries.
Comparison with selected European countries
- Country Relative spending on secondary students
- Luxembourg Much higher than France
- Norway Higher
- Sweden Higher
- Denmark Higher
- Netherlands Similar to slightly higher
- France Above OECD and EU averages
- Germany Similar to slightly lower
- Belgium Similar
- Finland Slightly lower
- Spain Lower
- Italy Lower
- Portugal Lower
- Romania Much lower
- Bulgaria Much lower
This pattern reflects broader European education financing, where the Nordic countries and Luxembourg are the highest spenders per pupil, while Southern and Eastern European countries generally spend less per student.
Spending as a share of the economy
France is notable because it devotes a relatively large share of its economy to secondary education. According to OECD-based statistics, secondary education expenditure in France is about 2.5% of GDP, one of the highest proportions among OECD countries.
What this means
A student aged 12-18 in France typically benefits from:
- Higher-than-average public investment compared with most European countries.
- More funding than students in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and most Eastern European countries.
- Similar funding levels to Germany and Belgium.
- Less funding than students in the Nordic countries and Luxembourg.
