Public education expenditure and educational attainment: A bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review

Abstract

This study aims to review the literature on public education expenditure and educational attainment by examining research profiles, publication trends, journal quality, geographic distribution, and emerging key themes. Additionally, this study aims to explain how previous research has depicted the relationship between public education expenditure and educational attainment. Using the Bibliometric-Systematic Literature Review (B-SLR) approach, a literature review method that combines bibliometric analysis and systematic literature review, data were obtained from the Scopus database, with 20 articles selected as the final sample. Analysis was conducted using RStudio (Biblioshiny) and Microsoft Excel to map publication trends, keywords, thematic clusters, and knowledge structures. The study’s findings indicate that public education spending and educational outcomes fall under three main themes: public spending, human capital, and educational attainment; education policy, learning, and academic performance; and educational development, investment, and efficiency measurement. The study found that public education spending can improve educational outcomes, but its impact is not automatic. The impact of education expenditures depends heavily on policy design, allocation efficiency, governance quality, equitable distribution, and the capacity of public funds to improve learning conditions and expand access to education. This research contributes to the literature by presenting a structured overview of how public education spending is examined in relation to educational attainment. This differs from studies that merely emphasize the importance of understanding how public expenditures are assessed in terms of educational outcomes through policy, institutional capacity, and resource distribution.