STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF EDUCATION EXPENDITURES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: THE CASE OF TURKEY BETWEEN 2011- 2021

Abstract

The economic growth and structural change of countries are significantly influenced by physical and human capital. Education stands at the forefront of the essential components of human capital. As the level of education increases, human capital is positively affected and grows. This study aims to examine education expenditures in Turkey between 2011-2021 using statistical methods. The research focuses on both the total amount of expenditures made and the average expenditure per student. Additionally, the equivalent of the expenditures in dollar exchange rate has been included in the calculations. For the classification of the data, a hierarchical clustering method called the Between-Groups Linkage method has been used. In this method, the similarities and differences between the data have been determined using the Euclidean distance measure. As a result, a tree diagram (dendrogram) has been created, the analysis of which can identify different groups and similarities. Furthermore, graphs based on the year have been drawn to make the data more understandable and readable, and comparisons have been made. These graphs show how education expenditures in Turkey have changed over time and which years showed increases or decreases. In this way, the trends and tendencies of education expenditures can be better understood. This study aims to examine the changes and comparisons on a yearly basis by statistically analyzing education expenditures in Turkey. Such studies can help us better understand the impact of education expenditures on economic growth and the development of human capital.