Costs for upper secondary school increase

Total costs for upper secondary school have increased by 18 percent over the last five years 2004–2008, while the number of students has increased by 14 percent.

Costs for university and institutes of higher education increased by 3 percent and the costs for compulsory school where unchanged during that same period. Total costs for all types of education were SEK 261 billion. Comparisons are based on constant prices.

Costs for compulsory school, upper secondary school and university and institutes of higher education for 2004–2008 in constant prices, SEK Billion

Graph - Costs for compulsory school, upper secondary school and university and institutes of higher education for 2004–2008 in constant prices. SEK

Costs per pupil in compulsory school have risen 8 percent

Costs per pupil in compulsory school have increased by over SEK 6 200 during the period 2004 –2008 and amounted to SEK 80 900. This is an increase of 8 percent. Costs per student at university and institutes of higher education have increased during the same period by 13 percent, amounting to SEK 76 000. In 2008 costs for a pupil in upper secondary school was SEK 92 400, an increase of 4 percent. Comparisons are based on fixed prices.

Sweden in sixth place among OECD countries

The OECD average for education costs' share of GDP in 2006 was 5.7 percent. Among OECD countries, Iceland had the highest share, or 8.0 percent. The United States was in second place with 7.4 percent. Sweden came in sixth place with 6.3 percent.