Switzerland vs United States
Switzerland vs United States: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $849 in Switzerland and $2,755 in United States, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United States, by $1,906, or 3.25 times that in Switzerland.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United States has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, Switzerland ranked 27 and United States ranked 4 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Switzerland | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $849 | $2,755 |
| 2024 | $735 | $2,917 |
| 2023 | $714 | $2,675 |
| 2022 | $647 | $2,527 |
| 2021 | $633 | $2,373 |
| 2020 | $666 | $2,295 |
| 2019 | $588 | $2,183 |
| 2018 | $558 | $2,045 |
| 2017 | $550 | $1,956 |
| 2016 | $549 | $1,953 |
| 2015 | $549 | $1,952 |
| 2014 | $567 | $2,014 |
| 2013 | $626 | $2,132 |
| 2012 | $577 | $2,298 |
| 2011 | $632 | $2,407 |
| 2010 | $529 | $2,384 |
| 2009 | $527 | $2,303 |
| 2008 | $540 | $2,165 |
| 2007 | $470 | $1,964 |
| 2006 | $447 | $1,879 |
| 2005 | $470 | $1,812 |
| 2004 | $476 | $1,692 |
| 2003 | $448 | $1,527 |
| 2002 | $398 | $1,325 |
| 2001 | $384 | $1,173 |
| 2000 | $391 | $1,143 |
| 1999 | $442 | $1,074 |
| 1998 | $492 | $1,059 |
| 1997 | $494 | $1,077 |
| 1996 | $600 | $1,068 |
| 1995 | $662 | $1,109 |
| 1994 | $560 | $1,167 |
| 1993 | $523 | $1,213 |
| 1992 | $605 | $1,260 |
| 1991 | $595 | $1,174 |
| 1990 | $608 | $1,291 |
| 1989 | $466 | $1,290 |
| 1988 | $499 | $1,252 |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Switzerland vs United States
Health
- Life expectancySwitzerland: 84 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySwitzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySwitzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSwitzerland: 96.7% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionSwitzerland: 3.71% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateSwitzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSwitzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthSwitzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSwitzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSwitzerland: 85.7% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageSwitzerland: 42.3 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSwitzerland: 19.6% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateSwitzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSwitzerland: $93,330 in 2025United States: $67,950 in 2025
- GDP growthSwitzerland: 1.6% a year in 2025United States: 2.3% a year in 2025
- InflationSwitzerland: 0.2% a year in 2025United States: 2.7% a year in 2025
- Government debtSwitzerland: 40.1% of GDP in 2025United States: 124.4% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSwitzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSwitzerland: $7.15B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSwitzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSwitzerland: 20,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerSwitzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSwitzerland: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSwitzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSwitzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025