Labor force with basic education in Sweden

Sweden: Labor force with basic education was 45.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
45.2%
Change on year
down 1.1%
World rank
73rd
of 125 countries
All-time high
64.8%
in 1996
All-time low
43.2%
in 2021
Years of data
30
1995–2024

Labor force with basic education in Sweden, 1995–2024

02040601995200920241995: 51.5 % of total working-age population with basic education1996: 64.8 % of total working-age population with basic education1997: 48.9 % of total working-age population with basic education1998: 50 % of total working-age population with basic education1999: 49.7 % of total working-age population with basic education2000: 49.7 % of total working-age population with basic education2001: 51.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2002: 51 % of total working-age population with basic education2003: 50.1 % of total working-age population with basic education2004: 48.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2005: 49.5 % of total working-age population with basic education2006: 48.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2007: 48.6 % of total working-age population with basic education2008: 47.8 % of total working-age population with basic education2009: 46.5 % of total working-age population with basic education2010: 46.7 % of total working-age population with basic education2011: 46.9 % of total working-age population with basic education2012: 46.8 % of total working-age population with basic education2013: 46.4 % of total working-age population with basic education2014: 47.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2015: 47.3 % of total working-age population with basic education2016: 47.1 % of total working-age population with basic education2017: 48.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2018: 49.3 % of total working-age population with basic education2019: 49.8 % of total working-age population with basic education2020: 48.8 % of total working-age population with basic education2021: 43.2 % of total working-age population with basic education2022: 44.7 % of total working-age population with basic education2023: 45.7 % of total working-age population with basic education2024: 45.2 % of total working-age population with basic education

Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.

Analysis

The most recent figure for labor force with basic education in Sweden is 45.2%, measured in 2024.

That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 4.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in Sweden peaked at 64.8% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 43.2%, in 2021.

That places Sweden 73rd out of 125 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 30 years of available data.

Labor force with basic education in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education) in Sweden, 1995 to 2024.
Year % of total working-age population with basic education Change
1995 51.5%
1996 64.8% +25.8%
1997 48.9% -24.4%
1998 50.0% +2.3%
1999 49.7% -0.6%
2000 49.7% +0.0%
2001 51.9% +4.3%
2002 51.0% -1.6%
2003 50.1% -1.7%
2004 48.9% -2.6%
2005 49.5% +1.2%
2006 48.9% -1.0%
2007 48.6% -0.6%
2008 47.8% -1.7%
2009 46.5% -2.7%
2010 46.7% +0.4%
2011 46.9% +0.6%
2012 46.8% -0.4%
2013 46.4% -0.7%
2014 47.2% +1.7%
2015 47.3% +0.2%
2016 47.1% -0.4%
2017 48.2% +2.3%
2018 49.3% +2.2%
2019 49.8% +1.1%
2020 48.8% -2.1%
2021 43.2% -11.4%
2022 44.7% +3.5%
2023 45.7% +2.2%
2024 45.2% -1.1%

Sweden compared with similar countries

  • Sweden's 45.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 41.5%, 1.1× the median. (52 countries reporting)
  • Sweden's 45.2% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 33.5%, 1.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Labor force with basic education in Sweden changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1996 +25.8% 51.5% 64.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 53.0% 48.9% 64.8% 5
2000s 49.3% 46.5% 51.9% 10
2010s 47.6% 46.4% 49.8% 10
2020s 45.5% 43.2% 48.8% 5

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 70 Germany 46.1% compare
  2. 71 Argentina 46.1% compare
  3. 72 Spain 45.9% compare
  4. 74 Palestine 44.1% compare
  5. 75 Brunei 43.7% compare
  6. 76 South Korea 43.6% compare

See the full ranking of 144 places →

More work & labour data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is labor force with basic education in Sweden?
Labor force with basic education in Sweden was 45.2% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 64.8% in 1996.
What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 43.2% in 2021.
How does Sweden rank for labor force with basic education?
Sweden ranks 73rd out of 125 countries with data for 2024.
Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sweden data come from?
The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labor force with basic education in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labor-force-with-basic-education-percent-of-total-working-age-population-with-basic/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education)
Unit
% of total working-age population with basic education
Source
Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
144 places, 2,683 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).