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Sweden
Overview of the education system (EAG 2013)
  • Based on 2011 patterns of graduation, 38% of young people in Sweden will graduate from tertiary-type A first-degree programmes, close to the OECD average of 39%. Sweden has, together with Hungary and the United States, the lowest completion rate at tertiary level across OECD countries. In 2011, 53% of students graduated from the programme they entered (OECD average: 68%). Students in Sweden do not always need the graduation document to enter the labour market. The summary record of their completed courses is recognised as equivalent to a diploma for many types of education.
  • In Sweden, the average difference in earnings between people with a tertiary education and those with an upper secondary education is relatively small compared with other OECD countries. In 2011, the difference in earnings was 25 percentage points, which was less than half of the OECD average difference of 57 percentage points. As in all Nordic countries this is partly due to tax policies and a flat income distribution.
  • Sweden has one of the highest employment rates within the OECD, although it is decreasing. The 2011 employment rate in Sweden for people with all levels of education was 83%, placing it first among OECD countries together with Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Unemployment rates for people with all levels of education, however, increased between 2008 and 2011, but at a slower pace than in other OECD and EU21 countries. The increase in unemployment rates in Sweden was more marked among those without an upper secondary education.
  • In 2010, Sweden devoted an annual expenditure of USD 11 700 per student from primary to tertiary education, compared with an OECD average of USD 9 300, which represents 7% of its GDP to education at all levels, one of the highest percentages across OECD countries (average: 6%). Research and development accounted for more than 53% of total expenditure per student in tertiary education.
    • | Education at a Glance 2013 | Country Note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2013 | Utbildningsdepartementet (Ministry of Education and Research) | Skolverket (The Swedish National Agency for Education) | Universitetskanslersämbetet (Swedish Higher Education Authority) | Universitets- och högskolerådet (University and college Council) | Statistiska centralbyrån (Statistics Sweden) |
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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

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    Pre-primary

    The share of private expenditure on pre-primary education is one of the smallest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (0 %, rank 28/28) Download Indicator

    The number of pupils per teacher in pre-primary schools is one of the smallest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (6 Students, rank 30/31) Download Indicator

    The number of days of instruction in a school year in pre-primary school is especially large. (224 Days, rank 4/30) Download Indicator

    The number of hours pre-primary teachers spend teaching in public institutions is comparatively large in Sweden. (1792 Hours, rank 1/29) Download Indicator

    Primary

    Annual expenditure per primary student is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (9987 USD Equivalent, rank 7/34) Download Indicator

    The number of students per teacher in primary schools is one of the smallest among OECD countries and G20 countries with available data. (11 Students, rank 28/35) Download Indicator

    Primary and lower secondary

    Total compulsory instruction time for primary and lower secondary students in Sweden is among the shortest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (6665 Hours, rank 21/30) Download Indicator

    Total intended instruction time for primary and lower secondary students in Sweden is among the shortest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (6665 Hours, rank 23/30) Download Indicator

    Below upper secondary

    The employment rate among individuals without an upper secondary education is comparatively high. (65 %, rank 9/35) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among women without an upper secondary education is comparatively high. (53 %, rank 9/35) Download Indicator

    Lower secondary

    Intended instruction time for lower secondary students, in hours per year, in Sweden is one of the shortest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (741 Hours, rank 31/31) Download Indicator

    Total compulsory instruction time for lower secondary students in Sweden is one of the shortest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (2222 Hours, rank 30/31) Download Indicator

    Total intended instruction time for lower secondary students in Sweden is among the shortest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (2222 Hours, rank 30/31) Download Indicator

    Compulsory instruction time for lower secondary students, in hours per year, in Sweden is one of the shortest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (741 Hours, rank 30/31) Download Indicator

    Upper secondary

    The level of upper secondary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (87 %, rank 8/40) Download Indicator

    The level of upper secondary attainment among 25-34 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (91 %, rank 8/35) Download Indicator

    The average age of graduates from vocational programmes at the upper secondary level in Sweden is comparatively low. (18 Years, rank 20/25) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of today's young people expected to graduate from upper secondary education during their lifetimes is one of the low among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (75 %, rank 23/29) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of today's young men expected to graduate from upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (73 %, rank 23/29) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of today's women expected to graduate from upper secondary education is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (78 %, rank 22/29) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of today's young people expected to graduate from upper secondary education of general programme is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (32 %, rank 31/36) Download Indicator

    The proportion of upper secondary vocational men graduates who studied Engineering, manufacturing and construction is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries (66 %, rank 5/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of upper secondary vocational men graduates who studied Sciences is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (0 %, rank 18/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of upper secondary vocational men graduates who studied agriculture is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (3 %, rank 20/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of upper secondary vocational women graduates who studied humanities, arts and education is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries (34 %, rank 1/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of upper secondary vocational women graduates who studied social science, business and law is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (11 %, rank 25/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female graduates who studied services in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (14 %, rank 17/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female graduates who studied engineering, manufacturing and construction in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries (10 %, rank 9/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female graduates who studied sciences in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (0 %, rank 16/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of female graduates who student agriculture in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries (8 %, rank 3/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of male graduates who studied humanities, arts and education in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries (12 %, rank 4/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of male graduates who studied health and welfare in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries (5 %, rank 5/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of male graduates who studied social sciences, business and law in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (5 %, rank 23/25) Download Indicator

    The proportion of male graduates who studied social services in upper secondary vocational programmes is one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries (9 %, rank 16/25) Download Indicator

    Primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education

    Annual expenditure per student, for core and ancillary services, from primary to below-tertiary institutions is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (10044 USD Equivalent, rank 9/35) Download Indicator

    Upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary

    The employment rate among individuals with an upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (84 %, rank 1/36) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among men with an upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (87 %, rank 7/36) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among women with an upper secondary or a post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (80 %, rank 1/36) Download Indicator

    Post-secondary non-tertiary

    Annual expenditure per post-secondary non-tertiary student is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (6176 USD Equivalent, rank 7/11) Download Indicator

    Tertiary-type B (vocational)

    The percentage of today's young people expected to graduate from tertiary-type B (vocational) programmes before turning 30 in Sweden ranks as one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (4 %, rank 13/21) Download Indicator

    Primary to tertiary

    Annual expenditure per student from primary to tertiary level is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (11734 USD Equivalent, rank 6/32) Download Indicator

    Tertiary-type A (academic)

    The percentage of today's young people expected to graduate from tertiary-type A (academic) programmes before turning 30 in Sweden ranks as one of the lowest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (29 %, rank 16/25) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the annual growth of first-time graduation rates in tertiary-type A education is comparatively low. (1 %, rank 17/25) Download Indicator

    Total tertiary

    The level of tertiary attainment among 30-34 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (48 %, rank 9/34) Download Indicator

    The level of tertiary attainment among 25-64 year-olds is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (30 %, rank 5/32) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-old individuals with a tertiary education is comparatively high. (89 %, rank 4/36) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among women with a tertiary education is comparatively high. (88 %, rank 2/36) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per tertiary student is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (19562 USD Equivalent, rank 4/33) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, cumulative expenditure per tertiary student is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (88225 USD Equivalent, rank 3/20) Download Indicator

    The change in the number of students between 2005 and 2010 at the tertiary level is comparatively small. (103 Index, rank 23/31) Download Indicator

    The percentage of all tertiary students in Sweden who are international students is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (8 %, rank 9/36) Download Indicator

    The change in the number of foreign students in tertiary education in Sweden between 2005 and 2011 is one of the smallest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (127 %, rank 27/34) Download Indicator

    The number of students per teacher in tertiary institutions is one of the smallest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (12 Students, rank 23/27) Download Indicator

    All levels of education + not allocated by level

    In Sweden public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (6 %, rank 6/33) Download Indicator

    In Sweden private expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively low. (0 %, rank 28/29) Download Indicator

    In Sweden the change in expenditure between 2008 and 2010 on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP is comparatively small. (103 Index, rank 21/30) Download Indicator

    In Sweden the change in GDP between 2008 and 2010 is comparatively large. (101 Index, rank 8/34) Download Indicator

    In Sweden public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP is comparatively high. (7 %, rank 5/33) Download Indicator

    The change in total public expenditure for all services, including education, between 2008 and 2010 is one of the smallest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (102 Index, rank 27/34) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of expected years in education between the ages of 5 and 39 is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (19 Years, rank 4/38) Download Indicator

    The expected number of years in education for 15-29 year-olds in Sweden is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (8 %, rank 7/35) Download Indicator

    The expected number of years in education for 15-29 year-old men in Sweden is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (7 %, rank 8/35) Download Indicator

    The expected number of years in education for 15-29 year-old women in Sweden is one of the highest among OECD and G20 countries with available data. (8 %, rank 5/35) Download Indicator

    Not in education

    The proportion of 25-29 year-olds who are neither employed nor in education or training is comparatively small in Sweden. (10 %, rank 34/34) Download Indicator


    General findings
    • Across almost all OECD countries, upper secondary attainment is the norm. On average, 75% of 25-64 year-olds and 82% of 25-34 year-olds had reached this level of attainment in 2011. However, despite notable strides, some countries remain far below the OECD average in upper secondary attainment. For example, in Mexico, Portugal and Turkey, less than 20% of the population had attained upper secondary education as the highest level of education in 2011.
    • Vocational education and training is a major factor in the educational attainment of people in many countries. In 2011, a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education was the highest level of attainment for more than 50% of 25-64 year-olds in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. However, in these countries, people tend to leave education after attaining upper secondary qualifications. In an additional 10 OECD countries, a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary attainment was the highest educational level for more than 30% of 25-64 year-olds.
    • Tertiary attainment levels have increased considerably over the last decades. On average across OECD countries, the proportion of 25-64 year-olds that hold a tertiary qualification has increased by 4.2% per year since 2000. However, even though tertiary attainment rates have increased in recent years, less than 35% of both men and women had attained a tertiary education in 2011.
    • If current tertiary attainment rates among 25-34 year-olds are maintained, the proportion of adults in France, Ireland, Japan and Korea who have a tertiary education will surpass that of other OECD countries, while the proportion in Austria, Brazil and Germany will fall further behind other OECD countries.
    • Significant progress has been achieved in reducing the gender gap in educational attainment and women have surpassed men in many aspects of education in OECD countries. Among 30-34 year-olds, more than 40% of women had a tertiary education in 2011, surpassing the rate of men with that level of education by about 8 percentage points. Tertiary attainment rates among young women have grown strongly in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, where 50% or more of younger women in that age group had attained tertiary education in 2011.
    | OECD Better Life Index |
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    • Across OECD countries, employment rates are highest among people who have a tertiary education; and these individuals are also most likely to be employed full time.
    • Unemployment rates are nearly three times higher among individuals who do not have an upper secondary education (13% on average across OECD countries in 2011) than among those who have a tertiary education (5% in 2011).
    • Individuals who have at least an upper secondary education have a greater chance of being employed than those without that level of education.
    • Gender differences in employment rates are smallest among tertiary-educated individuals and largest among men and women who do not have an upper secondary education.
    • In all OECD countries, adults with tertiary education earn more than adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education, who, in turn, earn more than adults with a below upper secondary education.
    • On average across OECD countries, the difference in earnings between younger and older workers increases with educational attainment, benefitting more educated older workers. The earnings premium for tertiary-educated 55-64 year-olds is generally larger than that for all tertiary educated workers: in 2011, on average, the earnings differential between these two groups increased by 16 percentage points.
    | OECD Better Life Index | OECD Employment Outlook | OECD Skills Strategy |
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    • In 2011, on average across OECD countries, 16% of 15-29 year-olds were neither employed nor in education or training (NEET) (7% unemployed and 9% inactive), as were 8% of 15-19 year-olds (2.7% unemployed and 5.8% inactive), and 20% of 25-29 year-olds (8% unemployed and 12% inactive).
    • In Chile, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Spain and Turkey, more than 20% of 15-29 year-olds were NEET in 2011 compared to less than 10% in Austria, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Unemployment levels are particularly worrying in Greece (14.6% in 2011) and Spain (17.0% in 2011), as is inactivity among young people in those countries (7.1% and 7.5%, respectively, in 2011).
    • On average across OECD countries in 2011, 18% of 15-29 year-old women were NEET (12% inactive and 6% unemployed) as were 13% of 15-29 year-old men (7% unemployed and 6% inactive).
    | OECD Skills Strategy | Education Indicators in Focus: How difficult is it to move from school to work? | OECD Action Plan for Youth |
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    • In 2010, OECD countries spent an average of 6.3% of their GDP on educational institutions. Out of the 33 countries for which data were available, this proportion exceeded 7% in Denmark, Iceland, Israel, Korea, New Zealand, Norway and the United States. Only the Czech Republic, Hungary Italy, the Russian Federation and the Slovak Republic spent less than 5% of their GDP on educational institutions.
    • On average, OECD countries spent USD 9 313 annually per student from primary through tertiary education in 2010: USD 7 974 per primary student, USD 9 014 per secondary student and USD 13 528 per tertiary student. Spending per pre-primary student amounted to USD 6 762 per year.
    • While there was no clear global trend in how the proportion of public expenditure on education evolved during the economic crisis, in 14 out of the 30 countries with available data, public expenditure on education grew at a faster rate than public expenditure on all other services between 2008 and 2010.
    • Public funding accounted for 84% of all funds for educational institutions on average in OECD countries in 2010, and between 2000 and 2010, public funding increased for all levels of education combined. However, more pressure has been put on households to share the cost of education, and private funding increased at an even greater rate in more than three-quarters of countries. The share of public and private investment in education differs among education levels. Tertiary institutions and, to a lesser extent, pre-primary institutions obtain the largest proportions of funds from private sources (32% and 18%, respectively, in 2010).
    | PISA in Focus: Does money buy strong performance in PISA? | Education Indicators in Focus: Which factors determine the level of expenditure on teaching staff? |
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    • The ratio of students to teaching staff varies across OECD countries and levels of education. At the primary level, there were more than 15 students for every teacher on average in OECD countries in 2011. In most countries, the student-teacher ratio decreases between primary and lower secondary school, despite an increase in class size. In 2011, there were, on average, about 14 students per teacher at the secondary level. At the tertiary level, there were, on average, about 16 students per teacher in OECD countries.
    • The number of teaching hours per teacher in public schools in 2011 averaged 790 hours per year in primary education, 709 hours in lower secondary education, and 664 hours in upper secondary education.
    • Teachers' statutory salaries vary widely across countries, but often increase with the level of education. In 2011, the statutory salaries of teachers with at least 15 years of experience averaged USD 36 135 at the pre-primary level, USD 38 136 at the primary level, USD 39 934 at the lower secondary level, and USD 41 665 at the upper secondary level. Between 2000 and 2011, teachers' salaries increased in real terms in most countries.
    • On average in OECD countries, pre-primary school teachers' salaries in 2011 amounted to 80% of full-time, full-year earnings of tertiary-educated adults working in different occupations. Primary school teachers' salaries amounted to 82% of that income, lower secondary school teachers' salaries amounted to 85% of that benchmark, and upper secondary school teachers' salaries amounted to 89% of those earnings.
    | Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers | OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) | International Summit on the Teaching Profession |
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    Note: These values should be interpreted with care since they are influenced by countries' specific contexts and trade-offs. In education, there is often no simple most- or least-efficient model. For instance, the share of private expenditure in education must be read against other measures designed to mitigate inequities, such as loans and grants; longer learning time is an opportunity to convey more and better content to students, but may hinder investments in other important areas. If you want further information on the nature of different variables, please take the time to read the analysis and contextual information, available at the website for each publication.
    All rankings for individual variables are compiled on the basis of OECD and G20 countries for which data are available. The OECD average includes only OECD countries which are listed here: http://www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/

    For additional notes, please refer to annexes in the list of links below the introductory country profile text.