Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden
Sweden: Share of the population with completed tertiary education was 30.6 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 30.6 for share of the population with completed tertiary education in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden peaked at 32 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.1, in 1870.
That places Sweden 23rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0.1 | — |
| 1875 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 1885 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.3 | +50.0% |
| 1915 | 0.3 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.4 | +33.3% |
| 1925 | 1.2 | +200.0% |
| 1930 | 2 | +66.7% |
| 1935 | 2.8 | +40.0% |
| 1940 | 3.2 | +14.3% |
| 1945 | 3.9 | +21.9% |
| 1950 | 4.5 | +15.4% |
| 1955 | 5.4 | +20.0% |
| 1960 | 6.3 | +16.7% |
| 1965 | 7.1 | +12.7% |
| 1970 | 8 | +12.7% |
| 1975 | 12.7 | +58.7% |
| 1980 | 17.4 | +37.0% |
| 1985 | 19.6 | +12.6% |
| 1990 | 22.5 | +14.8% |
| 1995 | 25.6 | +13.8% |
| 2000 | 26.1 | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 28.6 | +9.6% |
| 2010 | 32 | +11.9% |
| 2015 | 30 | -6.2% |
| 2020 | 30.6 | +2.0% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 30.6 is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.6, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 30.6 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 30.85, 99% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | +200.0% | 0.4 | 1.2 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1900s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2 |
| 1910s | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2 |
| 1920s | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 2 |
| 1930s | 2.4 | 2 | 2.8 | 2 |
| 1940s | 3.55 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 2 |
| 1950s | 4.95 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 2 |
| 1960s | 6.7 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 2 |
| 1970s | 10.35 | 8 | 12.7 | 2 |
| 1980s | 18.5 | 17.4 | 19.6 | 2 |
| 1990s | 24.05 | 22.5 | 25.6 | 2 |
| 2000s | 27.35 | 26.1 | 28.6 | 2 |
| 2010s | 31 | 30 | 32 | 2 |
| 2020s | 30.6 | 30.6 | 30.6 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 20 United Kingdom 31.1 compare
- 21 Netherlands 30.9 compare
- 22 Denmark 30.8 compare
- 24 Germany 30.4 compare
- 25 Australia 30.2 compare
- 26 Philippines 29.7 compare
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 share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden?
- Share of the population with completed tertiary education in Sweden was 30.6 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 32 in 2010.
- What is the lowest share of the population with completed tertiary education recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1 in 1870.
- How does Sweden rank for share of the population with completed tertiary education?
- Sweden ranks 23rd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population with completed tertiary education rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with completed tertiary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).