Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden

Sweden: Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary was 84.1% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
84.1%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
27th
of 140 countries
All-time high
84.1%
in 2023
All-time low
39.6%
in 1970
Years of data
33
1970–2023

Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden, 1970–2023

0204060801970199620231970: 39.6 cumulative1974: 45.9 cumulative1979: 54 cumulative1986: 54.5 cumulative1987: 55.7 cumulative1988: 57 cumulative1989: 58.3 cumulative1990: 59.8 cumulative1991: 61 cumulative1992: 62.9 cumulative1993: 64.3 cumulative1994: 65.3 cumulative1995: 66.6 cumulative2004: 76.7 cumulative2005: 77.4 cumulative2006: 78 cumulative2007: 78.6 cumulative2008: 76 cumulative2009: 76.6 cumulative2010: 77.1 cumulative2011: 77.8 cumulative2012: 78.3 cumulative2013: 75 cumulative2014: 75.4 cumulative2015: 75.8 cumulative2016: 76.1 cumulative2017: 76.5 cumulative2018: 82.6 cumulative2019: 77.3 cumulative2020: 83.6 cumulative2021: 82.9 cumulative2022: 83.2 cumulative2023: 84.1 cumulative

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.

Analysis

Sweden recorded 84.1% for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in 2023. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden peaked at 84.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 39.6%, in 1970.

Sweden ranks 27th of 140 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative) in Sweden, 1970 to 2023.
Year cumulative Change
1970 39.6%
1974 45.9% +15.9%
1979 54.0% +17.6%
1986 54.5% +1.0%
1987 55.7% +2.2%
1988 57.0% +2.4%
1989 58.3% +2.3%
1990 59.8% +2.5%
1991 61.0% +2.0%
1992 62.9% +3.3%
1993 64.3% +2.1%
1994 65.3% +1.6%
1995 66.6% +2.0%
2004 76.7% +15.1%
2005 77.4% +0.9%
2006 78.0% +0.8%
2007 78.6% +0.8%
2008 76.0% -3.4%
2009 76.6% +0.8%
2010 77.1% +0.8%
2011 77.8% +0.8%
2012 78.3% +0.8%
2013 75.0% -4.2%
2014 75.4% +0.5%
2015 75.8% +0.5%
2016 76.1% +0.4%
2017 76.5% +0.6%
2018 82.6% +7.9%
2019 77.3% -6.4%
2020 83.6% +8.1%
2021 82.9% -0.9%
2022 83.2% +0.4%
2023 84.1% +1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 46.5% 39.6% 54.0% 3
1980s 56.4% 54.5% 58.3% 4
1990s 63.3% 59.8% 66.6% 6
2000s 77.2% 76.0% 78.6% 6
2010s 77.2% 75.0% 82.6% 10
2020s 83.4% 82.9% 84.1% 4

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 24 Seychelles 85.8% compare
  2. 25 Tajikistan 85.2% compare
  3. 26 Israel 85.1% compare
  4. 28 Germany 83.9% compare
  5. 29 Estonia 83.6% compare
  6. 30 Bosnia and Herzegovina 81.9% compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More education data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden?
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden was 84.1% in 2023, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 84.1% in 2023.
What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 39.6% in 1970.
How does Sweden rank for educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary?
Sweden ranks 27th out of 140 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is up 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sweden data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-at-least-completed-upper-secondary-population-25-male-percent/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment, at least completed upper secondary, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative)
Unit
cumulative
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
140 places, 2,299 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed upper secondary education.