School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years) (both) in Sweden
Sweden: School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years) (both) was 19.69 years in 2018. ▲ Rising
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sweden, 1971–2018
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sweden is 19.69 years, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sweden peaked at 19.69 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 11.49 years, in 1972.
That places Sweden 3rd out of 183 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years) (both) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 11.88 years | — |
| 1972 | 11.49 years | -3.3% |
| 1973 | 12.12 years | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 12 years | -1.0% |
| 1975 | 12.11 years | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 12.23 years | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 12.26 years | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 12.48 years | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 12.8 years | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 12.83 years | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 12.6 years | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 12.61 years | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 12.67 years | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 12.67 years | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 12.54 years | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 12.76 years | +1.7% |
| 1987 | 12.7 years | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 12.81 years | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 12.84 years | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 12.9 years | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 13 years | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 13.25 years | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 15.1 years | +14.0% |
| 1994 | 15.53 years | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 15.89 years | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 16.32 years | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 17.04 years | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 18.55 years | +8.9% |
| 1999 | 18.76 years | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 18.79 years | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 18.84 years | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 18.61 years | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 18.54 years | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 15.95 years | -14.0% |
| 2005 | 15.89 years | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 15.84 years | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 15.72 years | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 15.75 years | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 15.74 years | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 15.93 years | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 15.78 years | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 15.79 years | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 18.08 years | +14.5% |
| 2014 | 18.2 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 18.57 years | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 18.83 years | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 19.48 years | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 19.69 years | +1.1% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 19.69 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 16.13 years, 1.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 19.69 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.71 years, 1.3× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.15 years | 11.49 years | 12.8 years | 9 |
| 1980s | 12.7 years | 12.54 years | 12.84 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.63 years | 12.9 years | 18.76 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.97 years | 15.72 years | 18.84 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.82 years | 15.78 years | 19.69 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More education data for Sweden
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.43 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.43 (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sweden?
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes in Sweden was 19.69 years in 2018, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 19.69 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.49 years in 1972.
- How does Sweden rank for school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes?
- Sweden ranks 3rd out of 183 countries with data for 2018.
- Is school life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.1%. 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 School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, both sexes (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Expected years of schooling is the number of years a child of school entrance age is expected to spend at school, or university, including years spent on repetition. It is the sum of the age-specific enrolment ratios for primary, secondary, post-secondary non-tertiary and tertiary education.