Photo: User:Pieter Kuiper · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 04 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Sweden: Education & Knowledge
How far does a country's schooling carry its children?
Sweden is placed 14th of 171 countries on education & knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Upper Secondary Completion Rate 89.13 (2025); Out-of-School Rate, Primary 0.57 (2024).
Education & Knowledge
14th
of 171 countries placed
Placed from 2 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Sweden on education & knowledge — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: How far a schooling system carries the young people who get through primary — the only key here that measures anything past childhood.
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
89.13
Upper secondary completion rate (%)
Higher is better
Sweden: 89.13. Across the 164 countries in this edition, values run from 2.13 (South Sudan) to 99.27 (South Korea); the world median is 64.87.
- World median
- 64.87
- Best in Northern Europe
- 95.09 Ireland
- Land neighbours
- Finland 89.75 · Norway 80.75
Each grey tick is one of 164 countries in the 2025 edition.
Key 2 of 4
Youth Literacy Rate
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: Whether 15- to 24-year-olds can read and write — the only key here that tests what a schooling system produced, rather than how many passed through it or what it cost.
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
15–24 year-olds who can read and write (%)
Higher is better
UIS publishes no reading from 2014–2024 for Sweden, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 174 countries at their latest reading, values run from 36.7 (South Sudan) to 100 (Uzbekistan); the world median is 98.22.
- World median
- 98.22
- Best in Northern Europe
- 99.95 Estonia
Each grey tick is one of 174 countries at its latest reading, 2014–2024.
Key 3 of 4
Government Spending on Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: What a state chooses to spend on education, as a share of its economy — the input, where the other two keys measure reach.
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY-SA 4.0
No reading
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP)
Higher is better
UIS publishes no 2023 figure for Sweden, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 123 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Somalia) to 16.39 (Kiribati); the world median is 3.709.
- World median
- 3.709
Each grey tick is one of 123 countries in the 2023 edition.
Key 4 of 4
Out-of-School Rate, Primary
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
Why it is a key: Primary-age children who are not in school at all: the floor of an education system.
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
0.57
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%)
Lower is better
Sweden: 0.57. Across the 121 countries in this edition, values run from 0.004 (United Arab Emirates) to 64.73 (South Sudan); the world median is 3.691.
- World median
- 3.691
- Best in Northern Europe
- 0.13 Lithuania
- Land neighbours
- Finland 1.766 · Norway 1.378
Each grey tick is one of 121 countries in the 2024 edition.
02Over time
Which way Sweden is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Upper Secondary Completion Rate
Upper secondary completion rate (%) · higher is better
SwedenWorld median
Sweden rose from 86.88 in 2000 to 89.13 in 2025; the world median went from 38 to 64.87.
Every year’s figures
Year Sweden World median 2025 89.13 64.9 2024 89.04 65.0 2023 88.94 64.2 2022 88.73 63.6 2021 88.57 62.9 2020 88.39 62.2 2019 88.32 61.5 2018 88.30 60.9 2017 88.34 60.5 2016 88.40 60.1 2015 88.39 58.9 2014 88.30 57.0 2013 88.17 54.7 2012 88.11 52.4 2011 88.08 50.9 2010 88.06 49.5 2009 87.92 48.5 2008 87.78 47.4 2007 87.54 46.2 2006 87.26 45.0 2005 87.02 43.8 2004 86.86 42.9 2003 86.74 41.6 2002 86.65 40.3 2001 86.69 39.0 2000 86.88 38.0 Government Spending on Education
Government expenditure on education (% of GDP) · higher is better
SwedenWorld median
Sweden rose from 6.738 in 2000 to 7.319 in 2022; the world median went from 3.886 to 4.057.
Every year’s figures
Year Sweden World median 2023 — 3.7092 2022 7.319 4.0570 2021 7.602 4.2611 2020 7.953 4.4056 2019 7.663 4.1407 2018 7.698 4.2159 2017 7.638 4.1401 2016 7.640 4.2342 2015 7.494 4.2386 2014 7.629 4.2005 2013 7.647 4.3493 2012 7.575 4.0348 2011 6.407 3.9987 2010 6.563 4.1396 2009 6.784 4.6638 2008 6.383 4.4226 2007 6.187 4.1717 2006 6.373 4.0593 2005 6.515 4.0557 2004 6.673 3.9745 2003 6.797 4.1595 2002 6.911 4.0173 2001 6.615 4.1002 2000 6.738 3.8861 Out-of-School Rate, Primary
Out-of-school rate, primary age (%) · lower is better
SwedenWorld median
Sweden rose from 0.41 in 2001 to 0.57 in 2024; the world median went from 4.051 to 3.691.
Every year’s figures
Year Sweden World median 2024 0.5704 3.691 2023 0.4257 3.393 2022 0.5669 3.002 2021 0.5077 3.330 2020 0.6839 2.678 2019 0.7578 2.758 2018 — 2.439 2017 — 2.907 2016 — 2.954 2015 0.8014 3.052 2014 1.2825 3.904 2013 0.8775 3.413 2012 0.5422 3.408 2011 — 3.626 2010 0.8087 3.491 2009 0.4408 3.577 2008 0.2936 3.878 2007 0.3144 4.029 2006 0.2995 4.338 2005 0.3531 4.571 2004 0.3746 3.791 2003 0.3416 4.412 2002 0.3417 4.144 2001 0.4099 4.051 2000 — 8.642
03In context
Sweden beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 171 countries on education & knowledge, never a place within the region.
Sweden and the countries it borders
The standing is each country’s place among all 171 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.
| Country | Standing | Upper Secondary Completion RateUpper secondary completion rate (%) | Youth Literacy Rate15–24 year-olds who can read and write (%) | Government Spending on EducationGovernment expenditure on education (% of GDP) | Out-of-School Rate, PrimaryOut-of-school rate, primary age (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 14th | 89.13 | — | — | 0.57 |
 Finland | 24th | 89.75 | — | — | 1.766 |
 Norway | 41st | 80.75 | — | — | 1.378 |
“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.
Across Northern Europe
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 171.
Placed either side on education & knowledge
The countries immediately above and below Sweden in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Sweden is ahead of the world, and behind
21 more statistics filed under education & knowledge, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median19
Statistics on which Sweden does better than the middle country measured.
Researchers per Million InhabitantsUIS · 2024 · world median 701.958,911701.95No earlier reading
Sweden: 8,911 · world median 701.95 · Researchers per million inhabitants (full-time equivalent). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.446 to 18,130; higher is better.
Position 3rd of 145 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Secondary School EnrolmentUIS · 2024 · world median 93.19131.9693.19No real change since 2014
Sweden: 131.96 · world median 93.19 · Gross secondary enrolment ratio (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 19.87 to 158.55; higher is better.
Position 3rd of 109 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.9340.619▲ Improved since 2015
Sweden: 0.934 · world median 0.619 · Academic freedom index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.019 to 0.978; higher is better.
Position 6th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Research and Development SpendingUIS · 2023 · world median 0.8143.60.814No real change since 2013
Sweden: 3.6 · world median 0.814 · Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.006 to 6.346; higher is better.
Position 4th of 84 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Expected Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 13.3418.9913.34No real change since 2013
Sweden: 18.99 · world median 13.34 · Expected years of schooling. UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.635 to 21.69; higher is better.
Position 9th of 195 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Primary Completion RateUIS · 2025 · world median 97.4399.9597.43▼ Worsened since 2015
Sweden: 99.95 · world median 97.43 · Primary completion rate (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 7.94 to 100; higher is better.
Position 8th of 165 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Learning-Adjusted Years of SchoolWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 7.94111.587.941▲ Improved since 2010
Sweden: 11.58 · world median 7.941 · Learning-adjusted years of school (0–14). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.207 to 12.81; higher is better.
Position 9th of 172 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
School Life ExpectancyUIS · 2024 · world median 14.5918.5814.59No real change since 2014
Sweden: 18.58 · world median 14.59 · School life expectancy, primary to tertiary (years). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 7.478 to 21.01; higher is better.
Position 6th of 77 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Harmonized Test ScoresWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 414.32519.36414.32▲ Improved since 2010
Sweden: 519.36 · world median 414.32 · Harmonized test score (TIMSS-equivalent points; 300 = minimum, 625 = advanced attainment). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 304.92 to 575.27; higher is better.
Position 15th of 172 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Learning PovertyWorld Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics · 2023 · world median 34.025.27234.02No earlier reading
Sweden: 5.272 · world median 34.02 · 10-year-olds who cannot read and understand a simple text (%). World Bank Group and UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.331 to 98.5; lower is better.
Position 111th of 125 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Mean Years of SchoolingUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 9.93312.749.933No real change since 2013
Sweden: 12.74 · world median 9.933 · Mean years of schooling (adults 25+). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.412 to 14.3; higher is better.
Position 24th of 193 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Pre-Primary Net Enrolment RateUIS · 2024 · world median 65.9396.2265.93No real change since 2014
Sweden: 96.22 · world median 65.93 · Net enrolment rate, pre-primary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.779 to 99.85; higher is better.
Position 16th of 120 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Tertiary Enrolment RatioUIS · 2024 · world median 52.778452.77▲ Improved since 2014
Sweden: 84 · world median 52.77 · Gross enrolment ratio, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.566 to 141.86; higher is better.
Position 13th of 95 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Upper Secondary AttainmentUIS · 2023 · world median 65.7684.7465.76▲ Improved since 2013
Sweden: 84.74 · world median 65.76 · Adults 25+ who completed upper secondary or higher (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 5.26 to 97.89; higher is better.
Position 15th of 95 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Government Funding per Primary StudentUIS · 2022 · world median 17.8122.2217.81▼ Worsened since 2012
Sweden: 22.22 · world median 17.81 · Government funding per primary student (% of GDP per capita). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 3.771 to 34.57; higher is better.
Position 15th of 68 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
PISA Reading PerformanceOECD · 2022 · world median 440.35486.98440.35▲ Improved since 2012
Sweden: 486.98 · world median 440.35 · Mean reading score. OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 328.84 to 542.55; higher is better.
Position 18th of 79 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
PISA Science PerformanceOECD · 2022 · world median 446.93493.55446.93▲ Improved since 2012
Sweden: 493.55 · world median 446.93 · Mean science score. OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 347.1 to 561.43; higher is better.
Position 21st of 79 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
PISA Mathematics PerformanceOECD · 2022 · world median 442.09481.77442.09▲ Improved since 2012
Sweden: 481.77 · world median 442.09 · Mean mathematics score. OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 336.4 to 574.66; higher is better.
Position 22nd of 79 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
Inbound Mobility Rate, TertiaryUIS · 2024 · world median 5.4947.2385.494▼ Worsened since 2014
Sweden: 7.238 · world median 5.494 · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.12; higher is better.
Position 31st of 75 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.
No better end2
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Female Share of ResearchersUIS · 2024 · world median 38.1734.8738.17No earlier reading
Sweden: 34.87 · world median 38.17 · Researchers who are women (% of headcount; 50 = parity). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 76.54.
Outbound Mobility Ratio, TertiaryUIS · 2023 · world median 5.2792.9625.279Moved since 2013
Sweden: 2.962 · world median 5.279 · Outbound mobility ratio, tertiary (% of tertiary enrolment at home). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.333 to 1,724.
No current reading for Sweden
Adult Literacy Rate, Government Spending on Education (last 2022) and Youth Literacy Rate. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
05Country Index 2026
Education & Knowledge among Sweden’s 16 topics
Education & Knowledge is Sweden’s 6th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.
- Governance & Institutions3rd of 1944/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital5th of 1963/3 keys
- Energyjoint 6th of 1933/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties10th of 1983/3 keys
- Digital & Technology15th of 1983/3 keys
- Education & Knowledge14th of 1712/4 keys
- Gender & Equality16th of 1834/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing18th of 2003/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation17th of 1764/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience20th of 1923/3 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 21st of 1774/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade20th of 1473/3 keys
- Food & Agriculture42nd of 1754/4 keys
- Work & Labour51st of 1824/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality46th of 1592/2 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 104th of 1813/3 keys
06The top of the list
Who leads on education & knowledge
The three countries placed highest of 171, and the leaders Sweden can most readily be measured against.
1
South KoreaEastern Asia
1st of 171 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
2
UzbekistanCentral Asia
2nd of 171 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
3
PolandEastern Europe
3rd of 171 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich) · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Europe
Poland3rd2/4 keysHighest in Northern Europe
Lithuania=4th2/4 keysThis page
Sweden14th2/4 keys
Positions out of 171 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Sweden on education & knowledge: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Sweden rank on education & knowledge?
Sweden is placed 14th of 171 countries on Education & Knowledge in the Country Index 2026, from 2 of its 4 key statistics (Upper Secondary Completion Rate and Out-of-School Rate, Primary). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Upper Secondary Completion Rate figure for Sweden?
89.13 in 2025 (upper secondary completion rate (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 64.87.
What is the latest Out-of-School Rate, Primary figure for Sweden?
0.57 in 2024 (out-of-school rate, primary age (%)), according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). The world median in the same edition was 3.691.
How does Sweden compare with Finland on education & knowledge?
Finland is placed 24th of 171, and Sweden 14th. Upper Secondary Completion Rate: Finland 89.75, Sweden 89.13; Out-of-School Rate, Primary: Finland 1.766, Sweden 0.57.
How have Sweden’s education & knowledge figures changed?
Upper Secondary Completion Rate rose from 86.88 in 2000 to 89.13 in 2025; Government Spending on Education rose from 6.738 in 2000 to 7.319 in 2022; Out-of-School Rate, Primary rose from 0.41 in 2001 to 0.57 in 2024.
Which education & knowledge statistics are missing for Sweden?
No current reading is published for Sweden on Adult Literacy Rate, Government Spending on Education and Youth Literacy Rate. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Keep reading
Explore further
Sweden, topic by topic
- Governance & Institutions3rd of 194
- Economy & Innovation17th of 176
- Work & Labour51st of 182
- Health & Wellbeing18th of 200
- Development & Human Capital5th of 196
- Environment & Sustainability=104th of 181
- Gender & Equality16th of 183
- Democracy & Civil Liberties10th of 198
- Peace & Security=21st of 177
- Risk & Resilience20th of 192
- Mobility & Trade20th of 147
- Food & Agriculture42nd of 175
- Poverty & Inequality46th of 159
- Energy=6th of 193
- Digital & Technology15th of 198
- The full Sweden profile
Nearby, on education & knowledge
The key statistics, for every country
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
How much children actually learn is only partly covered. International test scores exist for a limited group of countries, and they are published here as context rather than used as a key, because a key must describe most of the world. Universities, research and adult literacy also appear as context.
How the Education & Knowledge standing is decided, step by step
A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.
- A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 4 indicators on this topic are keys and 22 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
- Each key is read at one edition. ⚠ The keys behind this standing do not all describe the same year — they run from 2023 to 2025, because publishers release on their own schedules. Read the standing as “how this country places now”, not as a snapshot of one year.
- Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
- Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
- The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
- A country needs 2 of this topic’s 4 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 171 countries clear the bar here.
- A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 4.
- A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.
The key statistics and their licences
- Upper Secondary Completion Rate — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Youth Literacy Rate — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Spending on Education — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Out-of-School Rate, Primary — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), CC BY-SA 4.0
The other 21 statistics on this page come from 6 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Sweden’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Sweden (banner) — User:Pieter Kuiper, Public domain
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Uzbekistan — Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, CC BY 2.0
- Poland — Ralf Lotys (Sicherlich), CC BY 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Sweden: Education & Knowledge — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/sweden/education