Employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark
Denmark: Employee compensation as share of government spending was 11.0% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark, 1972–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
In 2023, employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark stood at 11.0%.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark peaked at 21.3% in 1973 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 1996.
That places Denmark 136th out of 155 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 52 years of available data.
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 20.7% | — |
| 1973 | 21.3% | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 20.3% | -4.9% |
| 1975 | 20.5% | +1.0% |
| 1976 | 18.8% | -8.1% |
| 1977 | 17.9% | -4.5% |
| 1978 | 17.0% | -5.2% |
| 1979 | 16.0% | -5.9% |
| 1980 | 13.8% | -13.9% |
| 1981 | 13.6% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 13.3% | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 12.9% | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 12.5% | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 12.5% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 12.5% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 13.0% | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 13.1% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 12.8% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 12.4% | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 12.0% | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 11.7% | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 11.5% | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 11.3% | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 9.8% | -13.7% |
| 1996 | 9.7% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 9.8% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 9.9% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 10.5% | +5.4% |
| 2000 | 10.3% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 10.4% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 10.6% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 10.5% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 10.3% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 10.2% | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 10.4% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 10.9% | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 10.8% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 10.5% | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 10.3% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 10.1% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 9.7% | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 10.2% | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 10.1% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 10.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 10.3% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 10.5% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 10.8% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 9.7% | -9.4% |
| 2021 | 10.2% | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 10.7% | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 11.0% | +2.2% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 11.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 58% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 11.0% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.4%, 67% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 19.1% | 16.0% | 21.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 13.0% | 12.5% | 13.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.9% | 9.7% | 12.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.5% | 10.2% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.2% | 9.7% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.4% | 9.7% | 11.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More work & labour data for Denmark
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1261 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1196 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1326 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.51 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.3351 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,829 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 485.03 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,899 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,964 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,863 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark?
- Employee compensation as share of government spending in Denmark was 11.0% in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 21.3% in 1973.
- What is the lowest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 1996.
- How does Denmark rank for employee compensation as share of government spending?
- Denmark ranks 136th out of 155 countries with data for 2023.
- Is employee compensation as share of government spending rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Denmark data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employee compensation as share of government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employee compensation includes wages, in-kind payments, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions.