Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Sweden
Sweden: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) was 494,296 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
494,296
Change on year
up 3.9%
World rank
55th
of 200 countries
All-time high
494,296
in 2024
All-time low
128,879
in 1975
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sweden, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 494,296 for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.9% on the previous year and up 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sweden peaked at 494,296 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 128,879, in 1975.
Sweden ranks 55th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 141,218 | — |
| 1972 | 141,367 | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 133,168 | -5.8% |
| 1974 | 131,614 | -1.2% |
| 1975 | 128,879 | -2.1% |
| 1976 | 162,640 | +26.2% |
| 1977 | 171,181 | +5.3% |
| 1978 | 190,105 | +11.1% |
| 1979 | 198,798 | +4.6% |
| 1980 | 200,999 | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 171,356 | -14.7% |
| 1982 | 176,115 | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 181,103 | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 184,199 | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 179,478 | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 176,589 | -1.6% |
| 1987 | 175,588 | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 178,423 | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 181,146 | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 184,812 | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 192,611 | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 207,265 | +7.6% |
| 1993 | 222,826 | +7.5% |
| 1994 | 234,466 | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 245,932 | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 261,209 | +6.2% |
| 1997 | 275,217 | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 280,712 | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 335,124 | +19.4% |
| 2000 | 346,878 | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 358,020 | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 382,851 | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 414,657 | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 429,623 | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 426,723 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 422,614 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 413,710 | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 406,879 | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 422,580 | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 455,025 | +7.7% |
| 2011 | 463,530 | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 453,328 | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 436,603 | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 429,444 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 428,557 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 426,188 | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 426,354 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 431,065 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 432,233 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 453,448 | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 490,470 | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 484,150 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 475,828 | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 494,296 | +3.9% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 494,296 is above the median for high income countries, which is 158,952, 3.1× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 494,296 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 294,128, 1.7× the median. (52 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 155,441 | 128,879 | 198,798 | 9 |
| 1980s | 180,500 | 171,356 | 200,999 | 10 |
| 1990s | 244,017 | 184,812 | 335,124 | 10 |
| 2000s | 402,454 | 346,878 | 429,623 | 10 |
| 2010s | 438,233 | 426,188 | 463,530 | 10 |
| 2020s | 479,638 | 453,448 | 494,296 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More education data for Sweden
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 77,813 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 1,302 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 235,975 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 222,360 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 987,895 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 859,847 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8572 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0814 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sweden?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Sweden was 494,296 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 494,296 in 2024.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 128,879 in 1975.
- How does Sweden rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Sweden ranks 55th out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release