The most common type of education completed in Sweden is a post secondary education of three years or more or an upper secondary education of three years. In 2023, nearly half of the population had either one of these levels of education as their lowest completed level of education. Among them, nearly 24 percent had an upper secondary education of three years or more. In 2023, 383,000 students were registered in higher education institutions in Sweden. Higher share of the female population with higher education The share of women with a post-secondary education of three years or more was higher than the share of men; 45 percent of the female population had a post-secondary education in 2022, compared to 33 percent of the male population. On the other hand, there are more men than women with an upper secondary education. Financial aid for students The financial aid for students in Sweden makes it possible for many to gain a higher education. In 2021, 207,000 students in Sweden received both subsidies and study loans. Around 107,000 of the students received neither, and around 50,000 received subsidies but no loans.

SE: Repeaters: Primary: % of Total Enrollment data was reported at 0.000 % in 2015. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for 2014. SE: Repeaters: Primary: % of Total Enrollment data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 37 observations. SE: Repeaters: Primary: % of Total Enrollment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Education Statistics. Repeaters in primary school are the number of students enrolled in the same grade as in the previous year, as a percentage of all students enrolled in primary school.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

In 2023, more women than men had a post-secondary education of three years or more in Sweden. In detail, 29 percent of the Swedish women and 19 percent of the Swedish men had attained that education level. On the other hand, a higher share of men than women had a form of upper secondary education. More than one fourth of men and one fifth of women had an upper secondary education of three years. Women’s access to education More women than men completing post-secondary education programs is not a trend limited to Sweden. Across all OECD countries in 2021, more women were first-time higher education students than men. A large portion of these women are entering into healthcare and education programs, while less than a quarter are entering into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. Issues facing Swedish women today While more Swedish women are accessing education and leading autonomous lives, they still face many gender-based issues. In 2022, domestic abuse, equal pay, and sexual violence were all cited as top gender issues for Swedish women. More Swedish women than men report feeling unsafe at night, and for both genders, concerns about crime are increasing.

The most common age among students engaged in higher education in Sweden in 2022 was between 20 and 24 years. That year, over 150,000 students in this age group participated in higher education. The number was above 80,000 for students between 25 and 29 years of age, which was the second largest age group. Close yo 1,700 people aged 65 years or more were registered as students at higher education institutions in Sweden.

Sweden SE: School Enrollment: Primary: % Net data was reported at 99.376 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.466 % for 2014. Sweden SE: School Enrollment: Primary: % Net data is updated yearly, averaging 99.419 % from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2015, with 30 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.898 % in 1994 and a record low of 95.079 % in 2006. Sweden SE: School Enrollment: Primary: % Net data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Net enrollment rate is the ratio of children of official school age who are enrolled in school to the population of the corresponding official school age. Primary education provides children with basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills along with an elementary understanding of such subjects as history, geography, natural science, social science, art, and music.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Sweden SE: Over-Age Students: Primary: % of Enrollment data was reported at 17.396 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 16.584 % for 2014. Sweden SE: Over-Age Students: Primary: % of Enrollment data is updated yearly, averaging 0.499 % from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2015, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.396 % in 2015 and a record low of 0.000 % in 2012. Sweden SE: Over-Age Students: Primary: % of Enrollment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Education Statistics. Over-age students are the percentage of those enrolled who are older than the official school-age range for primary education.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

Sweden SE: Progression to Secondary School: Male: % data was reported at 100.000 % in 2014. This records an increase from the previous number of 99.981 % for 2013. Sweden SE: Progression to Secondary School: Male: % data is updated yearly, averaging 100.000 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2014, with 14 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2014 and a record low of 99.695 % in 2003. Sweden SE: Progression to Secondary School: Male: % data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Education Statistics. Progression to secondary school refers to the number of new entrants to the first grade of secondary school in a given year as a percentage of the number of students enrolled in the final grade of primary school in the previous year (minus the number of repeaters from the last grade of primary education in the given year).; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Sweden SE: Compulsory Education: Duration data was reported at 9.000 Year in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 9.000 Year for 2015. Sweden SE: Compulsory Education: Duration data is updated yearly, averaging 9.000 Year from Dec 1998 (Median) to 2016, with 19 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.000 Year in 2016 and a record low of 9.000 Year in 2016. Sweden SE: Compulsory Education: Duration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Education Statistics. Duration of compulsory education is the number of years that children are legally obliged to attend school.; ; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; Median; Aggregate data are based on World Bank estimates.

In Sweden, the number of students participating in different types of education remained stable for both genders during the first half of the last decade, but has increased steadily since 2015. Furthermore, there are far more women participating in education in Sweden than men, 657,000 and 507,000, respectively. In 2021, a total of 1.2 million people participated in education in Sweden.

Women dominate higher education

The main reason behind the high number of women in education is that they dominate in higher education in terms of number of students. Almost 234,000 students in higher education are women, compared to 149,000 men. Furthermore, there are more women in the group 'other students' and in adult education as well.

Youth the largest age group

In 2021, youth between 16 and 18 years of age made up the largest age group in education in Sweden with above 337,000. In higher education, students between 20 and 24 made up the largest age group.

Sweden SE: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Tertiary School Enrollment: Gross data was reported at 1.525 Ratio in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.537 Ratio for 2014. Sweden SE: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Tertiary School Enrollment: Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 1.265 Ratio from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 41 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.594 Ratio in 2008 and a record low of 0.704 Ratio in 1976. Sweden SE: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Tertiary School Enrollment: Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education is the ratio of women to men enrolled at tertiary level in public and private schools.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Over the past decade, the number of people in education in Sweden fluctuated slightly, but has increased since 2015. In 2021 however, the participation number in Sweden decreased slightly reaching around 1.16 million people between 15 and 64 years of age. That year, the highest number of students were enrolled in higher education.

The number of upper secondary schools in Sweden declined gradually since 2014/15. In 2023/24, there were 1,296 upper secondary schools in the country. Upper secondary school (gymnasieskola in Swedish) is a voluntary upper secondary education for children between age 16 and 19 years of age.

Sweden - Tertiary educational attainment was 52.20% in December of 2020, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Sweden - Tertiary educational attainment - last updated from the EUROSTAT on September of 2025. Historically, Sweden - Tertiary educational attainment reached a record high of 52.50% in December of 2019 and a record low of 26.60% in December of 2001.

Sweden SE: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Male: % Cumulative data was reported at 27.181 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 26.777 % for 2014. Sweden SE: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Male: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 24.753 % from Dec 2004 (Median) to 2015, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 27.181 % in 2015 and a record low of 22.866 % in 2004. Sweden SE: Educational Attainment: At Least Competed Short-Cycle Tertiary: Population 25+ Years: Male: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed short-cycle tertiary education.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) in Sweden was reported at 83.9 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sweden - School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Percentage of teachers in upper secondary education who are female (%) in Sweden was reported at 53.83 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sweden - Percentage of teachers in upper secondary education who are female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Percentage of teachers in lower secondary education who are female (%) in Sweden was reported at 65.16 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sweden - Percentage of teachers in lower secondary education who are female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) in Sweden was reported at 7.5722 % in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sweden - Public spending on education, total (% of GDP) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Sweden SE: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data was reported at 10.944 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.623 % for 2014. Sweden SE: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 10.623 % from Dec 2013 (Median) to 2015, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.944 % in 2015 and a record low of 10.293 % in 2013. Sweden SE: Educational Attainment: At Least Master's or Equivalent: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Sweden – Table SE.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed Master's or equivalent.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

School enrollment, primary (% gross) in Sweden was reported at 116 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Sweden - School enrollment, primary (% gross) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.