Sweden vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education

Sweden
51.2%
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
50.5%
in 2021
Sweden rank
8th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
11th

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

  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1020304050197119972023

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 51.2% against 50.5% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a difference of 0.7%.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 8 shared years of data; in 2009 it was Sweden ahead.

Sweden ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 11th of 128 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Sweden averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sweden United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
2000s 31.4% 31.3% 0.0% Sweden
2010s 34.4% 37.8% 3.4% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 48.8% 50.5% 1.7% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education, Sweden or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Sweden, at 51.2% against 50.5% in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as of 2023.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
0.7%, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
8 years are reported by both, from 2009 to 2021.
How do Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Sweden ranks 8th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 11th of 128 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, female (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Sweden vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-3/sweden/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, female (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
128 places, 2,110 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release