Education in Bern / Berne (Espace Mittelland, Switzerland): official figures
In 2024 the cantonal government of Bern spent CHF 4.6 billion on education, 33.7% of its budget and CHF 4,304 per resident, 4th highest of 26 cantons (all cantons: CHF 3,423).
CHF 4,304
How much does Bern spend on vocational training?
Upper-secondary general schools (Gymnasien and similar) received CHF 270.04 million and initial vocational training CHF 532.48 million from the cantonal government of Bern in 2024.
Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copyMore figures
- The cantonal government' own spending on compulsory schooling in Bern was CHF 1.7 billion in 2024 and special-needs schools another CHF 338.75 million, together CHF 1,857 per resident. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Universities and universities of applied sciences took CHF 1.2 billion of cantonal money in Bern in 2024, CHF 1,085 per resident (6th highest of 26 cantons), and research a further CHF 428.88 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
- Education spending per resident in Bern grew by 18.7% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
How Bern / Berne compares with other cantons in Switzerland
Cantonal education spending per resident (CHF) (2024)
Bern / Berne ranks 4 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal education spending per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basel-Stadt | CHF 8,816 |
| 2 | Genève | CHF 5,909 |
| 3 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 4,465 |
| 4 | Bern / Berne | CHF 4,304 |
| 5 | Vaud | CHF 4,113 |
| 6 | Zürich | CHF 3,938 |
| 7 | Neuchâtel | CHF 3,264 |
Cantonal spending on universities per resident (CHF) (2024)
Bern / Berne ranks 6 of 26, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Cantonal spending on universities per resident (CHF) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Fribourg / Freiburg | CHF 1,530 |
| 4 | Zürich | CHF 1,376 |
| 5 | Vaud | CHF 1,148 |
| 6 | Bern / Berne | CHF 1,085 |
| 7 | Neuchâtel | CHF 1,020 |
| 8 | Ticino | CHF 1,002 |
| 9 | Basel-Landschaft | CHF 869 |
More on Bern / Berne: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Espace Mittelland · Switzerland
Sources
- Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF): Detaillierte Daten FS und GFS Modell: Standardauswertungen (financial statistics of the Confederation, cantons, communes and social insurance, 1990-2024; standardauswertung.csv with its codelist, saved zipped), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5fec658d1506…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.