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

Sweden
47.9%
in 2022
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
49.1%
in 2021
Sweden rank
15th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
13th

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

  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
01020304050199520082022

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 49.1% against 47.9% in Sweden, a difference of 1.2%.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 9 shared years of data; in 2009 it was Sweden ahead.

Sweden ranks 15th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 13th of 101 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Sweden United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
2000s 37.8% 30.8% 7.0% Sweden
2010s 39.4% 37.0% 2.5% Sweden
2020s 46.5% 48.3% 1.8% 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?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 49.1% against 47.9% in Sweden as of 2021.
What is the difference in educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education between Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
1.2%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sweden and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
9 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 15th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 13th of 101 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, urban, both sexes (%). 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-5/sweden/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
101 places, 1,599 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release