Employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica
Jamaica: Employee compensation as share of government spending was 38.0% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica, 1988–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
In 2020, employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica stood at 38.0%.
The figure is up 5.6% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica peaked at 43.6% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 26.7%, in 1992.
Jamaica ranks 36th of 155 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 43.0% | — |
| 1989 | 41.4% | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 38.3% | -7.6% |
| 1991 | 36.5% | -4.5% |
| 1992 | 26.7% | -26.9% |
| 1993 | 42.1% | +57.5% |
| 1994 | 33.5% | -20.5% |
| 1995 | 36.4% | +8.9% |
| 1996 | 38.1% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 40.9% | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 38.1% | -6.7% |
| 1999 | 34.7% | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 37.2% | +7.1% |
| 2001 | 37.9% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 40.0% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 34.9% | -12.8% |
| 2004 | 33.7% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 32.8% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 35.0% | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 34.1% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 36.0% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 32.6% | -9.3% |
| 2010 | 38.4% | +17.7% |
| 2011 | 39.9% | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 40.8% | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 43.6% | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 40.1% | -8.1% |
| 2015 | 39.4% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 38.8% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 38.3% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 37.2% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 36.0% | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 38.0% | +5.6% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 38.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 26.6%, 1.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 38.0% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 32.0%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +57.5% | 26.7% | 42.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 42.2% | 41.4% | 43.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 36.5% | 26.7% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.4% | 32.6% | 40.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.2% | 36.0% | 43.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.0% | 38.0% | 38.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 33 Namibia 38.8% compare
- 34 Morocco 38.5% compare
- 35 Guinea-Bissau 38.4%
- 37 Democratic Republic of Congo 37.4% compare
- 38 Seychelles 37.3% compare
- 39 Senegal 37.1% compare
More work & labour data for Jamaica
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,904 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 799.47 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 544.43 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 522.35 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,067 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica?
- Employee compensation as share of government spending in Jamaica was 38.0% in 2020, 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 43.6% in 2013.
- What is the lowest employee compensation as share of government spending recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.7% in 1992.
- How does Jamaica rank for employee compensation as share of government spending?
- Jamaica ranks 36th out of 155 countries with data for 2020.
- Is employee compensation as share of government spending rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.