Costs for university and institutes of higher education continued to increase

Costs for university and institutes of higher education have increased by 12 percent over the last five years 2006–2010. During the same period the number of full-time students has increased by 13 percent.

Costs for upper secondary school increased by 10 percent while costs for compulsory school decreased by less than 1 percent during that same period. Total costs for all types of education were SEK 282 billion. Comparisons are based on constant prices.

Costs for compulsory school, upper secondary school and university/ institutes of higher education for 2006–2010 in constant prices, SEK millions

Graph - Costs for compulsory school, upper secondary school and university/ institutes of higher education for 2006–2010 in constant prices, SEK millions

Costs per pupil in compulsory school have risen 10 percent

Costs per pupil in compulsory school have increased by more than SEK 7 500 during the period 2006–2010 and amounted to SEK 85 500. This is an increase of 10 percent. Costs per student at university and institutes of higher education have increased during the same period by 4 percent, amounting to SEK 70 500 in 2010. Costs for a pupil in upper secondary school in 2010 were SEK 92 500, an increase of 0.5 percent. Comparisons are based on constant prices.

Sweden in tenth place among OECD countries

The OECD average for education costs' share of GDP in 2008 was 5.9 percent. Among OECD countries, Iceland had the highest share, 7.9. Korea was in second place with 7.6 and Sweden came in tenth place with 6.3 percent.

All information about the costs of education is a compilation of material that has already been published from other statistical agencies other than Statistics Sweden and OECD (Education at a Glance).