Iceland vs Sweden: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education

Iceland
48.3%
in 2023
Sweden
51.7%
in 2023
Iceland rank
5th
Sweden rank
3rd

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education over time

  • Iceland
  • Sweden
0204060200720152023

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 51.7% against 48.3% in Iceland, a difference of 3.4%.

That makes Sweden's figure about 1.1 times Iceland's.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 14 shared years of data; in 2010 it was Sweden ahead.

Iceland ranks 5th and Sweden ranks 3rd of 38 countries.

Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iceland Sweden Difference Ahead
2010s 41.9% 42.9% 1.1% Sweden
2020s 46.4% 50.9% 4.5% Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, Iceland or Sweden?
Sweden, at 51.7% against 48.3% in Iceland as of 2023.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Iceland and Sweden?
3.4%, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Sweden?
14 years are reported by both, from 2010 to 2023.
How do Iceland and Sweden rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Iceland ranks 5th and Sweden ranks 3rd of 38 countries.
Where does this data come from?
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, female (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Iceland vs Sweden: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-18/iceland/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
38 places, 467 data points, 1994–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release