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Educational attainment of the population in 2018

Highest level of education in the Stockholm area

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2019-06-18 9.30

Just over one fourth of the population is highly educated. These people often live in metropolitan municipalities and county seats. The majority of the municipalities with the highest level of education are located in Stockholm County, where one third, or more, of the population has at least three years of post-secondary education in nine of the municipalities. Other municipalities with high levels of education include Lund, Lomma, Uppsala, Umeå and Linköping.

The high level of education in the Stockholm area is explained, to a large extent, by the many jobs located there in sectors with a high share of highly educated people, such as “financial and insurance activities”, “education” and “public administration and defence”. This area also offers a wide range of higher education and has a relatively young population, which has a higher formal level of education than the older population.

Municipalities with the largest share and number of inhabitants with at least three years of post-secondary education in 2018. 25-64 years
MunicipalityShare of inhabitants with at least a three year post-secondary educationMunicipalityNumber of inhabitants with at least a three year post-secondary education
Danderyd 57% Stockholm 232 100
Lund 53% Göteborg 114 900
Lomma 49% Malmö 62 500
Lidingö 47% Uppsala 48 400
Solna 46% Lund 32 500
Täby 44% Linköping 30 700
Stockholm 42% Umeå 25 800
Uppsala 41% Örebro 22 400
Sollentuna 41% Solna 22 300
Nacka 40% Västerås 21 800

In most counties, the share of highly educated persons is significantly higher in the county seat and metropolitan areas than in other municipalities in the county. It is relatively common that smaller municipalities have a larger share of persons with compulsory education as their highest level of education than persons with three years or more of post-secondary education.

A presentation of all municipalities’ educational levels is available on Statistics Sweden’s website and in the Statistical Database:

Educational attainment of the population

Just over 1.4 million highly educated persons in Sweden

In the population aged 25–64, 43 percent have some form of post-secondary education. Just over one quarter, 28 percent, have at least a three-year post-secondary education, which corresponds to 1 442 000 persons. The share of highly educated persons has increased in recent years by just over 0.5 percentage point per year.

Level of education, by sex, 2018. 25-64 years

Level of education, by sex, 2018. 25-64 years

Young women have highest level of education

Women have a higher educational level than men. More women than men have post-secondary education and fewer only have compulsory education. However, there are still more men than women with a postgraduate education. Among those with a postgraduate education aged 25–64, 43 percent are women.

Among women aged 25–34, more than half have a post-secondary education. There are 36 percent highly educated women, while barely one fourth of the men in the same age group are highly educated. This difference is due to the fact that more women continue to higher education. Currently, women account for just over 60 percent of persons enrolled in Swedish universities and institutes of higher education.

Publication

A more detailed report of this survey are available in the Statistical Report Educational attainment of the population 2018.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

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Statistics Sweden, Education and Jobs

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