Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden

Sweden: Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes was 27.2% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
27.2%
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
40th
of 42 countries
All-time high
28.5%
in 2020
All-time low
18.2%
in 2006
Years of data
16
2006–2021

Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden, 2006–2021

01020302006201320212006: 18.2 %2007: 19.8 %2008: 19.6 %2009: 20 %2010: 21.9 %2011: 21.4 %2012: 22.3 %2013: 22.4 %2014: 25.4 %2015: 25.6 %2016: 26.2 %2017: 25.8 %2018: 25.3 %2019: 26.7 %2020: 28.5 %2021: 27.2 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2021, gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden stood at 27.2%.

That represents a change of down 4.3% on the previous year and up 27.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden peaked at 28.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 18.2%, in 2006.

That places Sweden 40th out of 42 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes (%) in Sweden, 2006 to 2021.
Year % Change
2006 18.2%
2007 19.8% +8.6%
2008 19.6% -0.7%
2009 20.0% +1.9%
2010 21.9% +9.2%
2011 21.4% -2.0%
2012 22.3% +4.2%
2013 22.4% +0.3%
2014 25.4% +13.5%
2015 25.6% +0.7%
2016 26.2% +2.5%
2017 25.8% -1.9%
2018 25.3% -1.8%
2019 26.7% +5.5%
2020 28.5% +6.7%
2021 27.2% -4.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 19.4% 18.2% 20.0% 4
2010s 24.3% 21.4% 26.7% 10
2020s 27.8% 27.2% 28.5% 2

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 37 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 29.8% compare
  2. 38 Germany 28.7% compare
  3. 39 Austria 28.3% compare
  4. 41 Denmark 23.9% compare
  5. 42 Switzerland 22.1% compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More education data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden?
Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden was 27.2% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 28.5% in 2020.
What is the lowest gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 18.2% in 2006.
How does Sweden rank for gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes?
Sweden ranks 40th out of 42 countries with data for 2021.
Is gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.1%. 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 Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/gross-attendance-ratio-for-tertiary-education-urban-both-sexes-percent-2/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross attendance ratio for tertiary education, urban, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
42 places, 699 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release