Education in St. Gallen (Ostschweiz, Switzerland): official figures

In 2024 the cantonal government of St. Gallen spent CHF 1.2 billion on education, 21.8% of its budget and CHF 2,158 per resident, 11th lowest of 26 cantons (all cantons: CHF 3,423).

Cantonal education spending per resident

CHF 2,158

2024

How much does St. Gallen spend on vocational training?

Upper-secondary general schools (Gymnasien and similar) received CHF 134.12 million and initial vocational training CHF 222.33 million from the cantonal government of St. Gallen in 2024.

Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy

More figures

The cantonal government' own spending on compulsory schooling in St. Gallen was CHF 26.62 million in 2024 and special-needs schools another CHF 160.27 million, together CHF 346 per resident. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
Universities and universities of applied sciences took CHF 447.74 million of cantonal money in St. Gallen in 2024, CHF 829 per resident (11th highest of 26 cantons), and research a further CHF 91.77 million. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy
Education spending per resident in St. Gallen grew by 10.2% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy

How St. Gallen compares with other cantons in Switzerland

Cantonal education spending per resident (CHF) (2024)

St. Gallen ranks 16 of 26, highest first.

Rank	Area	Cantonal education spending per resident (CHF)
13	Basel-Landschaft	CHF 2,872
14	Schaffhausen	CHF 2,824
15	Aargau	CHF 2,721
16	St. Gallen	CHF 2,158
17	Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun	CHF 2,147
18	Uri	CHF 1,963
19	Solothurn	CHF 1,866

Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy

Cantonal spending on universities per resident (CHF) (2024)

St. Gallen ranks 11 of 26, highest first.

Rank	Area	Cantonal spending on universities per resident (CHF)
8	Ticino	CHF 1,002
9	Basel-Landschaft	CHF 869
10	Valais / Wallis	CHF 854
11	St. Gallen	CHF 829
12	Graubünden / Grigioni / Grischun	CHF 752
13	Luzern	CHF 652
14	Zug	CHF 607

Source: Federal Finance Administration (EFV/AFF) · saved copy

More on St. Gallen: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Ostschweiz · 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…)

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