There’s a lot of discussion out there about how students from the US can ‘compete’ with students abroad, particularly students from China and India. Which group does better on test scores? Which group spends more time in class and studying? While all of that may or may not equate to producing the most successful or competitive students in the world economy, those are two of the major factors that most people consider when assessing student competitiveness. And where does education spending fit into the picture?

The US is definitely ahead of other nations in at least one regard. According to the latest available OECD data, US leads in annual expenditure per student with almost twice the OECD average. Please take a look at the global expenditures on educational institutions and expenditures per student in the handy infographic below. The real question remains: Does more spending per student equal students who are more prepared for success in a global economy?

From: BrainTrack.com