Germany vs Sweden: Share of the population with completed tertiary education

Germany
30.4
in 2020
Sweden
30.6
in 2020
Germany rank
24th
Sweden rank
23rd

Share of the population with completed tertiary education over time

  • Germany
  • Sweden
0102030187019452020

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 30.6 against 30.4 in Germany, a difference of 0.2.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 31 shared years of data; in 1870 it was Germany ahead.

Germany ranks 24th and Sweden ranks 23rd of 111 countries.

Across the 16 decades both report, Germany averaged higher in 6 and Sweden in 10.

Head to head by decade

Decade Germany Sweden Difference Ahead
1870s 0.3 0.1 0.2 Germany
1880s 0.45 0.2 0.25 Germany
1890s 0.65 0.2 0.45 Germany
1900s 0.85 0.2 0.65 Germany
1910s 1.05 0.3 0.75 Germany
1920s 1.65 0.8 0.85 Germany
1930s 2.3 2.4 0.1 Sweden
1940s 2.8 3.55 0.75 Sweden
1950s 3.2 4.95 1.75 Sweden
1960s 3.45 6.7 3.25 Sweden
1970s 5.25 10.35 5.1 Sweden
1980s 10.25 18.5 8.25 Sweden
1990s 16.1 24.05 7.95 Sweden
2000s 22.75 27.35 4.6 Sweden
2010s 25.55 31 5.45 Sweden
2020s 30.4 30.6 0.2 Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher share of the population with completed tertiary education, Germany or Sweden?
Sweden, at 30.6 against 30.4 in Germany as of 2020.
What is the difference in share of the population with completed tertiary education between Germany and Sweden?
0.2, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and Sweden?
31 years are reported by both, from 1870 to 2020.
How do Germany and Sweden rank globally for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
Germany ranks 24th and Sweden ranks 23rd of 111 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Our World in Data, published as Share of the population with completed tertiary education. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Germany vs Sweden: Share of the population with completed tertiary education. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/share-of-the-population-with-completed-tertiary-education/germany/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of the population with completed tertiary education
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
111 places, 3,441 data points, 1870–2020
Last refreshed