Sweden
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Sweden
Overview of the education system (EAG 2025)
  • In Sweden, 19% of adults without upper secondary education are unemployed, compared with 6.7% for those with upper/post-secondary and 5.4% with tertiary, confirming lower joblessness with higher qualifications despite elevated baselines.
  • The wage gap between workers without and with upper secondary education is 14%, with a 25% premium for tertiary graduates, both below OECD gaps of 17% and 54%, indicating lower returns and lower income inequality.
  • Primary class sizes averaged 20.5 students in 2023, up by 1.6 since 2013, compared with the stable OECD average of 20.6 students observed across the last decade.
  • Public funding dominates Sweden’s education system, with 99.8% public at primary to post-secondary levels, compared to 90.1% across the OECD. Pre-primary is 93.7% public, while tertiary is 83.6% versus OECD averages of 85.6% and 71.9% respectively.
  • Sweden spends USD 15,454 per student from primary to post-secondary non-tertiary levels, positioning the country near the upper end of the OECD spending range.
  • Between 2015 and 2022, government expenditure for pre-primary fell 6% while enrolment increased 5%, leading to a 10.5% decrease in spending per child, against a 24% OECD average rise over the same period.
    • | Education at a Glance 2025 | Country note | Annexes from Education at a Glance 2025 | OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics 2018 | OECD Education Policy Outlook: Sweden | 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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    Attainment

    The proportion of 25-64 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (2.2 %, rank 3/32 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of 25-34 year-olds who attained a doctoral or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the highest among countries with available data. (1.1 %, rank 4/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Attainment by gender

    The proportion of 25-64 year-old women who have attained a general degree at the tertiary level is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (59.8 %, rank 3/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Sweden has one of the smallest share of women among 55-64 year-olds with a vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education. (38.3 %, rank 32/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Attainment by field of education

    The percentage of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of arts is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (3 %, rank 13/17 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of law is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (2.8 %, rank 15/17 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (17.5 %, rank 24/28 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Entrance

    The share of new entrants younger than 25 in bachelor's or equivalent programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (69.8 %, rank 39/40 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of women among tertiary education new entrants is one of the largest compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (56.1 %, rank 5/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students entering bachelor's programmes in Sweden is relatively large. (60.6 %, rank 1/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the proportion of new female entrants in master's long first degree (LFD) programmes is relatively low. (52.5 %, rank 24/26 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of new entrants in short-cycle tertiary programmes younger than 25 is relatively low. (33.8 %, rank 31/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of first-time entrants into tertiary education younger than 25 is relatively low. (67.2 %, rank 34/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of new entrants in tertiary education in Sweden is comparatively old. (24.5 Years, rank 3/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Entrance by field of education and gender

    The share of female who enter tertiary education in the field of information and communication technologies (ICTs) is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (31 %, rank 5/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of men among new entrants in bachelor's programmes in the field of information and communication technologies is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (70.6 %, rank 34/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in health and welfare in Sweden is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (20.2 %, rank 33/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering master's or equivalent programmes in information and communication technologies in Sweden is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (61.5 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes in engineering, manufacturing and construction in Sweden is one of the smallest compared to other OECD countries and partner economies. (69.4 %, rank 29/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    The enrolment rate of 15–19-year-olds in post-secondary non-tertiary general programmes was among the highest across participating countries. (0.2 %, rank 3/10 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Among 6–14-year-olds, enrolment in lower secondary programmes in Sweden ranked among the lowest internationally. (22 %, rank 43/46 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of female students in post-secondary non-tertiary general programmes ranked among the smallest across participating countries. (50 %, rank 7/10 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of upper secondary students enrolled in programmes giving full level completion without access to tertiary education in Sweden is relatively low compared to the other countries. (1.9 %, rank 26/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of post-secondary non-tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes in Sweden is among the highest. (35.2 %, rank 5/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Students enrolled in programmes providing full completion and access to tertiary education among all students enrolled in post-secondary non-tertiary vocational programmes are proportionally less in Sweden than in the other countries. (2.2 %, rank 21/22 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary students enrolled in vocational programmes is comparativele high. (3 %, rank 3/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of below-two year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Sweden is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.4 %, rank 10/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of two-year-olds in other registered ECEC services in Sweden is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.1 %, rank 10/13 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation

    The share of tertiary graduates younger than 30-years-old is one of the smallest among countries with available data. (69.8 %, rank 31/32 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of first-time short-cycle tertiary graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (55.5 %, rank 24/28 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of first-time bachelor's graduates younger than 30 is relatively low. (70.9 %, rank 35/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of first-time bachelor's graduates is relatively low in Sweden. (50.1 %, rank 31/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of first-time graduates in vocational programmes at post-secondary non-tertiary level is comparatively small. (95.3 %, rank 20/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of short-cycle tertiary graduates in Sweden is among the oldest. (30.2 Years, rank 5/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The average age of bachelor's or equivalent graduates in Sweden is among the oldest. (28 Years, rank 1/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by gender

    In Sweden, the share of female first-time bachelor's graduates is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (67.7 %, rank 1/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education

    The percentage of tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.6 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of arts and humaties in Sweden is relatively small. (3.9 %, rank 40/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of business, administration and law in Sweden is relatively small. (2.6 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of doctoral graduates in the field of health and welfare in Sweden is relatively large. (32.1 %, rank 4/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of short-cycle tertiary vocational graduates in the field of STEM is relatively high compared to other OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (5 %, rank 4/37 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1 %, rank 44/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of STEM is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3 %, rank 2/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the proportion of bachelor's, master's and doctoral or equivalent graduates in the field of health and welfare is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (2 %, rank 2/45 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Graduation by field of education and gender

    The proportion of female tertiary graduates in social sciences, business and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries. (15.7 %, rank 41/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of male tertiary graduates in the field of business, administration and law is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.3 %, rank 43/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of male tertiary graduates in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics is relatively high in Sweden. (46.9 %, rank 5/44 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the proportion of female graduates from upper secondary vocational programmes in the field health and welfare is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries. (74.2 %, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of information and communication technologies is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (35.6 %, rank 4/41 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of female graduates in tertiary education in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary is one of the largest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (69.1 %, rank 4/43 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Completion rates

    Completion rates of female new entrants to Arts and humanities bachelor's programmes three years after the theoretical end were among the lowest internationally. (49 %, rank 28/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    For male students, completion rates in Arts and humanities bachelor's programmes three years beyond the theoretical end placed Sweden among the lowest across countries. (39.9 %, rank 28/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Completion rates of all new entrants to bachelor's programmes in Arts and humanities three years after the theoretical duration were among the lowest across participating countries. (45 %, rank 28/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Gap year

    The share of female students who entered a bachelor's programme and took at least one gap year was among the highest across countries with available data. (78.3 %, rank 2/23 , 2020) Download Indicator

    The share of male students who entered a bachelor's programme and took at least one gap year placed Sweden among the highest internationally. (75.1 %, rank 4/23 , 2020) Download Indicator

    For all students who entered a bachelor's programme, the share who took at least one gap year ranked Sweden among the highest across countries with available data. (77 %, rank 1/23 , 2020) Download Indicator

    Fields of education

    In Sweden, the percentage of new entrants to tertiary education in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low. (16.3 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of arts and humanities is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (4.7 %, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of business, administration and law is relatively low, compared to other countries with available data. (2.6 %, rank 36/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of new entrants to doctoral programmes in the field of health and welfare is relatively high, compared to other countries with available data. (36.8 %, rank 2/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of new entrants in business, administration and law bachelor's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (14.4 %, rank 37/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the proportion of new entrants in business, administration and law master's programmes is relatively low, compared to OECD and partner countries with available data. (15.2 %, rank 36/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of new entrants in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary master's programmes is especially low. (0.5 %, rank 35/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility

    The share of international students entering short-cycle tertiary programmes is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.1 %, rank 28/31 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Student mobility by field of education

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of business, administration and law among all international or foreign tertiary students in Sweden is relatively low. (10.9 %, rank 35/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics among all international or foreign tertiary students in Sweden is relatively high. (14.3 %, rank 4/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students enrolled in the field of engineering, manunfacturing and construction among all international or foreign tertiary students in Sweden is relatively high. (24.1 %, rank 4/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student

    Annual expenditure per tertiary student is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (28823 USD Equivalent, rank 5/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Annual expenditure per student on research and development in tertiary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (14693 USD Equivalent, rank 4/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure per student for ancillary services on tertiary education in Sweden is comparatively low. (0 USD Equivalent, rank 26/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the total annual expenditure per full-time equivalent student on tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (26490 USD Equivalent, rank 3/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Expenditure in education and national wealth

    In Sweden, private expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively low. (0 %, rank 37/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, international expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (0 %, rank 4/32 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, public expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively high. (5.1 %, rank 5/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, private expenditure on educational institutions as a percentage of GDP on primary to tertiary education from final source of funds is relatively low. (0.2 %, rank 35/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the private expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds on primary to post-secondary non-tertiary level is low. (0 %, rank 27/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The public expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds at primary to tertiary education is relatively high in Sweden. (5.1 %, rank 3/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The proportion of private expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds for primary to tertiary education is comparatively low in Sweden. (0.2 %, rank 24/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, international expenditure as a percentage of GDP from initial source of funds on tertiary education is relatively large. (0.1 %, rank 5/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Government and private expenditure in education

    The share of private expenditure on all levels below tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.2 %, rank 39/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Sweden has one of the smallest shares of private expenditure on primary through tertiary educational institutions among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (3.5 %, rank 36/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of public expenditure on educational institutions, for primary to tertiary education is comparatively large. (95.2 %, rank 3/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Nature of expenditure

    In Sweden, the share of capital expenditure on tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (3.6 %, rank 32/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of current expenditure on tertiary education is one of the largest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (96.4 %, rank 5/36 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Who the teachers are

    The share of women among teaching staff in short-cycle tertiary education is one of the smallest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (45.3 %, rank 20/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of female teachers under 30 in lower secondary education is especially low in Sweden. (57.1 %, rank 33/36 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Females under 30 represent a small proportion of teachers in upper secondary education in Sweden. (51.2 %, rank 36/38 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of short-cycle tertiary female teachers younger than 30 is relatively low, compared to other countries with data available. (43 %, rank 19/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The percentage of teachers under 30 in early childhood educational development is especially low in Sweden. (9.6 %, rank 17/19 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries

    The ratio of pre-primary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.69 Ratio, rank 14/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The ratio of upper secondary teachers' salaries to earnings of full-time, full-year workers with tertiary education is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (0.7 Ratio, rank 16/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    For other academic staff not on an academic career track, actual salaries in Sweden were among the lowest across countries with available data. (53607 USD Equivalent, rank 7/10 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Teachers' salaries progression

    The ratio of pre-primary teachers' salaries at the top of scale to their starting salary is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (1.14 Ratio, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In pre-primary education, the salary ratio of teachers with maximum qualifications at the top of the salary scale to those with minimum training and starting salaries is relatively low. (1.14 Ratio, rank 33/35 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Ratio of student to teaching staff

    The number of students per teacher in tertiary institutions is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (10.1 Ratio, rank 34/37 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the ratio of students to teaching staff in bachelor's and tertiary advanced research programmes is one of the lowest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (10.1 Ratio, rank 30/33 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in public institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (10 Ratio, rank 35/39 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.2 Ratio, rank 31/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private institutions tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.2 Ratio, rank 14/16 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in private institutions short-cycle tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.2 Ratio, rank 16/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private short-cycle tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.2 Ratio, rank 10/11 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in public bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (10 Ratio, rank 30/34 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.2 Ratio, rank 27/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the number of students per teacher in government-dependent private bachelor's, master's, doctoral or equivalent programmes is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.2 Ratio, rank 11/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the ratio of children to teaching staff in early childhood educational development is one of the highest compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (12.6 Ratio, rank 4/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of teachers' aides among contact staff in early childhood educational development is one of the highest of OECD and partner countries with available data. (59.8 Ratio, rank 3/12 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of teachers' aides among contact staff in pre-primary education is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (55.3 Ratio, rank 4/18 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Employment and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (89.7 %, rank 5/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is high compared to other OECD and partner countries. (92.3 %, rank 2/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively high in Sweden. (78.4 %, rank 2/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the employment rate of 25-34 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is relatively high in Sweden. (92.7 %, rank 4/34 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment by gender and educational attainment

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is comparatively high. (84.2 %, rank 5/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The employment rate among 55-64 year-old men with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is compartively high in Sweden. (80.7 %, rank 4/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of employed 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high, compared to other OECD and partner countries with available data. (83.4 %, rank 2/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Employment by field of education

    The employment rate among 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education who studied in the field of arts is low compared to other OECD and partner countries. (83.8 %, rank 12/16 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment and educational attainment

    The unemployment rate among 25-64 year-olds without upper secondary education is comparatively high. (17.5 %, rank 3/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old with a short cycle tertiary education degree is relatively high in Sweden. (10.3 %, rank 4/21 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Unemployment by gender and educational attainment

    Compared to other countries with available data, the unemployment rate of 25-34 year-old men with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively high in Sweden. (10.6 %, rank 5/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity and educational attainment

    The inactivity rate of 25-34 years-old adults with below upper secondary education is low in Sweden. (16.9 %, rank 37/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a bachelor's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (6.4 %, rank 34/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (19.7 %, rank 38/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (4.2 %, rank 30/33 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with a master's or equivalent tertiary education degree is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (4.3 %, rank 35/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (6.3 %, rank 36/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (11.6 %, rank 35/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-olds with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (9.8 %, rank 33/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with below upper secondary education is low in Sweden. (29.2 %, rank 38/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is low in Sweden. (17.5 %, rank 38/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The inactivity rate of 55-64 years-old adults with tertiary education is low in Sweden. (12 %, rank 37/40 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Inactivity by gender and educational attainment

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-34 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively low. (24.3 %, rank 36/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate 25-64 year-old women without an upper secondary education is relatively low compared to other countries with available data. (27.8 %, rank 39/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old men without an upper secondary education is relatively low compared to other countries with available data. (14.3 %, rank 35/39 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (17.5 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with vocational upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (13.2 %, rank 33/35 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the inactivity rate of 25-64 year-old women with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is relatively low. (15.1 %, rank 35/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    Earnings and educational attainment

    The proportional difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old adults with tertiary education and those with upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education is quite low. (125 Index, rank 27/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of foreign-born aged between 25 and 64 who work full- and part-time with a short cycle tertiary education are comparatively low. (103.6 %, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of 25-64 year-old full- and part-time workers with a bachelor's or equivalent education are comparatively low. (113.4 %, rank 23/25 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of 25-64 year-old full- and part-time workers with a master's, doctoral or equivalent education degree are comparatively low. (148.3 %, rank 24/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a master's or doctoral or equivalent education degree is comparatively low. (17.1 %, rank 23/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a short-cycle tertiary education degree is comparatively low. (5.1 %, rank 19/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the share of worker earning more than twice the median among those with a tertiary education degree is comparatively . (10 Index, rank 27/30 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the relative earnings of 25-34 year-olds with a bachelor’s or equivalent attainment ranked among the weakest internationally. (107 Index, rank 22/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-34 year-olds working full-time and full-year with tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Sweden. (124 Index, rank 26/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The share of 25-64 year-old workers with tertiary education earning at or below half the overall median in Sweden is one of the highest among countries with available data. (13 Index, rank 5/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 45-54 year-olds working full-time and full-year with tertiary education compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Sweden. (159 Index, rank 25/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-34 year-olds working full-time and full-year with bachelor's or equivalent attainment compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Sweden. (118 Index, rank 20/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 25-64 year-olds working full-time and full-year with bachelor's or equivalent attainment compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Sweden. (134 Index, rank 22/24 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of 45-54 year-olds working full-time and full-year with bachelor's or equivalent attainment compared to those of adults without an upper secondary education are relatively low in Sweden. (146 Index, rank 20/23 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the relative earnings for 45-54 year-old workers with tertiary attainment are low compared to workers with upper secondary attainment (131 Index, rank 27/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the relative earnings for 25-34 year-old workers with master's or doctoral or equivalent degree are low compared to workers with upper secondary attainment (124 Index, rank 19/22 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings, gender and educational attainment

    The difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old men with tertiary education and those with upper secondary education is quite low. (132 Index, rank 26/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    The difference in earnings between 25-64 year-old women with tertiary education and those with upper secondary education is quite low. (126 Index, rank 27/29 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-34 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (87 %, rank 4/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (25-64 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (84.5 %, rank 5/21 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings of women as a percentage of men's earnings (45-54 year-olds with general upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary education working full-time full-year) are one of the highest among countries with available data. (82.2 %, rank 5/20 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Earnings by field of education

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Sweden who studied in the field of arts and humanities, social sciences, journalism and information are low, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (88.7 %, rank 13/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Sweden who studied in the field of business, administration and law, are high, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (118.6 %, rank 2/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Sweden who studied in the field of education, are low, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (78.6 %, rank 10/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Sweden who studied in the field of engineering, manufacturing and construction, are high, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (112.3 %, rank 4/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Sweden who studied in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT), are low, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (103.9 %, rank 12/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Compared to other countries with available data, earnings of tertiary-educated adults in Sweden who studied in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, are low, when compared to earnings of adults with an upper secondary education. (100.5 %, rank 11/14 , 2023) Download Indicator

    Neither in education nor employed

    The share of inactive youth neither in formal education nor training among 18-24 year-olds in Sweden is one of the lowest among countries with available data. (3.9 %, rank 36/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of women who are inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Sweden is relatively low. (4.2 %, rank 37/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Sweden is relatively low. (3.7 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of men who are inactive NEET (18-24 year-olds) in Sweden is relatively low. (3.9 %, rank 33/36 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of inactive NEET (15-29 year-olds) in Sweden is relatively low. (4 %, rank 37/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of youth neither employed nor in education or training among 25-29 year-olds in Sweden is one of the lowest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (8.3 %, rank 37/38 , 2024) Download Indicator

    In Sweden, the percentage of women neither employed nor in education or training among 20-24 year-olds is relatively low. (8.6 %, rank 33/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The share of young women neither employed nor in education or training (25-29 year-olds) in Sweden is comparatively low . (8 %, rank 37/37 , 2024) Download Indicator

    The percentage of 18-24 year-old women neither employed nor in education or training is one of the lowest among OECD countries and partner economies with available data. (7.6 %, rank 34/37 , 2024) Download Indicator


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    General findings
    
                        
    
                            
    
                                
    • Tertiary attainment among young adults has reached 48% on average across the OECD, the highest level ever, but progress has slowed since 2021. Attainment remains unequal, with women generally outpacing men, and older generations showing lower rates.
    • Employment outcomes for tertiary-educated adults remain strong overall: 87% of them are employed compared to 60% of those without upper seconday. Tertiary education offers good protection against unemployment, but women and disadvantaged groups still face labour market gaps, and inactivity persists among some adults. Moreover, adults with tertiary education earn on average 54% more than those with only upper secondary education.
    • Gender pay gaps remain significant. Despite higher attainment, women with tertiary education consistently earn less than men, even when working full-time, and this gap persists across age groups (73% on average for women aged 25 to 64).
    • Fields of study strongly influence labour market outcomes. Graduates in engineering and in health and welfare fare particularly well, while women’s participation in STEM remains below parity (14% of graduates at tertiary level) despite being 58% of all tertiary graduates.
    • Internationalisation continues to expand in tertiary education. The share of international students has grown steadily, and OECD countries host a large proportion of the world’s mobile students, reinforcing their global role in higher education.
    • Sustaining tertiary education requires adequate investment. Spending per student is already at 21 021 USD and rising, and tertiary expenditure represents a notable share of GDP (1.4% on average in OECD), making efficiency and equity crucial for long-term sustainability.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Access and Participation  | Education policies: Finance and Funding | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
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    • Although many countries have near universal upper secondary attainment among 25–34 year-olds, on average across the OECD 13% of younger adults still lack an upper secondary qualification.
    • NEET shares are now below pre-pandemic levels in about half of OECD and partner countries with trend data; in 8 of these 16 countries the decline exceeds 1 percentage point, while 17 countries exceed pre-pandemic benchmarks and 6 saw increases of more than 2 percentage points.
    • Employment rates rise steadily with higher tertiary attainment: short-cycle 83%, bachelor’s 86%, master’s 90%, and doctoral or equivalent 93% among 25–64 year-olds.
    • Earnings premiums also increase with qualification level: on average across the OECD, short-cycle graduates earn 17% more than those with upper secondary; the advantage is 39% for bachelor’s and 83% for master’s/doctoral graduates.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Attainment | Education policies: Labour market outcomes | 
    
                            
    
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    • Most children aged 3 to 5 are enrolled in early childhood education, with an average participation rate of 85% across the OECD. By contrast, only 29% of children under the age of 3 are enrolled.
    • Participation in early childhood education has grown over the past decade, with enrolment for children under age 3 increasing by 9 percentage points to 29%, and enrolment for ages 3 and above rising by 5 points to 85%.
    • The majority of students in vocational upper secondary education follow programmes that grant full access to tertiary education, with 76% of students enrolled in such programmes on average across the OECD.
    • Completion rates for bachelor’s programmes increase after the theoretical duration of programmes: on average, 44% of students graduate on time, compared to 69% three years after.
    • Students from Asia form the largest regional group of internationally mobile students in tertiary education, representing 58% of all foreign or international students across the OECD in 2023.
    • Only 43% of students complete a bachelor’s degree within the expected duration, though this rises to 59% with one additional year and 70% with three additional years on average across the OECD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Access and Participation  | 
    
                            
    
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    • Governments spend on average USD 12 438 per student in primary, secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education, and USD 15 102 per student in tertiary education including R&D.
    • Expenditure per student has risen in absolute terms since 2015, but its share in public budgets has declined, with government spending on education at almost 15% of total government expenditure on average in 2022.
    • Annual spending per student at primary and secondary levels varies widely across OECD countries, from under USD 3 000 in some systems to over USD 25 000 in the most highly funded ones.
    • Tertiary education continues to expand, placing pressure on public budgets. Private sources represent a larger share of total funding at the tertiary level than at any other level of education.
    • Spending per student differs markedly between public and private institutions, with expenditure in public tertiary institutions exceeding USD 33 000 in some countries, compared to less than USD 10 000 in others.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Finance and Funding | 
    
                            
    
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    • Students in OECD countries receive an average of 7 604 hours of compulsory instruction during primary and lower secondary education, with total hours ranging widely across education systems.
    • Compulsory instruction time averages 804 hours per year for primary students and 909 hours for lower secondary students, a difference of about 105 hours annually.
    • The ratio of children to teachers in pre-primary education has fallen across most OECD countries, decreasing from an average of 15 children per teacher in 2013 to 13 in 2023.
    • Teachers’ statutory salaries increase with the level of education taught. On average, teachers with 15 years of experience earn USD 55 725 at pre-primary level and USD 63 925 at upper secondary level.
    • Teachers’ actual salaries are 83–91% of the earnings of similarly educated tertiary-educated workers, while school heads usually earn more than tertiary-educated workers on average across OECD countries.
    • The ratio of students to academic staff is lower in public than in private institutions, averaging about 14 students per staff member in public tertiary institutions compared to 18 in private ones.
    • Nearly half of OECD and partner countries operate non-selective admission systems for first degrees, providing broad access to tertiary education, while entrance exams and centralised systems are also common.
    • The salaries of academic staff in tertiary education vary by seniority. On average, junior staff earn about 62 000 USD, while senior staff earn about 108 000 USD.
    
                            
    
                            
    
                                | Education policies: Teachers | Education policies: Teachers | OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)  | 
    
                            
    
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            Diagram of funding flows - Sweden
            
    
            
    
        
    


        
		
    
            
    
			Click on the coverpage to see the full OECD iLibrary version
			
    
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            Country Reviews for Sweden
            
    
            
    
			
    
        
    
		
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
        
    
            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: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/members-partners.html
            

    
			Reference years displayed in the Education GPS correspond to the most common year of reference among countries for which data is available on each variable. Data for the latest available year is preferred and some 
			countries may have provided data refering to a more recent or late year. To know more about possible exceptions on data please click on the "Download Indicator" link on each variable. When a year of reference corresponds to a school year encompassing two years, the reference reads as follows: 2026 for school year 2025/2026.
			

    
	    *TALIS averages are based on all countries participating in the TALIS survey, including partner countries and economies. 
		This explains the difference between the OECD average and the TALIS averages.
		Data from the TALIS survey and Education at a Glance (EAG) may differ. See Annex E of the TALIS technical report and 
		Annex 3 
		of EAG 2024 for more details about the data collections.
            

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