8 answers, 2 from Sweden's own official bodies, with a link to each figure.
6.7% of people aged 18 to 24 in Sweden left education and training early in 2025, down from 7.2% in 2024 and 8.8% in 2022, according to Eurostat.
An early leaver is someone aged 18 to 24 who has at most lower secondary education and is not in any education or training. The figure comes from the labour force survey, so small changes may be due to sampling. School-level statistics, including the share of pupils eligible for upper secondary programmes, are published by Skolverket.
Sweden's government spent 7.3% of GDP on education in 2022, down from 7.6% in 2021 and 8.0% in 2020, according to the World Bank, which uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics data.
The figure covers public spending on all levels of education, including public funding of independently run schools. Spending as a share of GDP can fall when GDP grows quickly even if spending in kronor rises.
The figures below use one definition for every country, so they can differ from national figures.
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts net primary school enrolment in Sweden at 99.2% in 2017. The peak was 99.6% in 2012 and the low 95.1% in 2006. Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 95.7%, and Sweden placed 4th highest of 45. World rank, highest first: 11th of 134.
The latest figure from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, for 2024, is 132.0%. Since 2005 it has ranged from 101.0% (2007) to 142.6% (2017). It is 3rd highest of 34 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 101.1%. Worldwide: 3rd of 100.
84.0%: that is gross tertiary enrolment in Sweden for 2024, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Its high point since 2005 was 2021, at 85.9%; its low point was 2014, at 65.0%. It is 8th highest of 34 in Europe & Central Asia, where the median is 71.1%. World rank, highest first: 11th of 90.
According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, government spending on education in Sweden was 7.3% of GDP in 2022. The peak was 8.0% of GDP in 2020 and the low 6.2% of GDP in 2007. Europe & Central Asia median: 4.5% of GDP; Sweden is 1st highest of 45. World rank, highest first: 10th of 155.
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics puts the number of primary pupils per teacher in Sweden at 12 in 2017. Since 2005 it has ranged from 9 (2011) to 12 (2016). Europe & Central Asia median: 13; Sweden is 24th highest of 39. World rank, highest first: 103rd of 130.
99.8%: that is the primary completion rate in Sweden for 2024, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Since 2005 it has ranged from 97.8% (2011) to 100.1% (2017). Across Europe & Central Asia the middle value was 98.2%, and Sweden placed 9th highest of 30. Of 104 countries with 2024 data, 25th highest.
Read on 14 October 2026. Definitions · Report an error