Sweden: Primary education, teachers (% female)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Sweden's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.04 percentage points on 2023 (from 81.72% to 81.77%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2023), the average change was +0.07 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.32 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.84 percentage points in 1998 and the biggest yearly fall was 6.65 percentage points in 1996. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.61 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 61% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Sweden had the 42nd highest value of the 105 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Sweden in the 2024 ranking

• Switzerland — 39th of 105: 83.5%
• Mauritius — 40th of 105: 83.43%
• Trinidad and Tobago — 41st of 105: 82.33%
• Andorra — 43rd of 105: 81.6%
• Chile — 44th of 105: 81.26%
• Macao SAR, China — 45th of 105: 81.11%

What this measures

Female teachers as a percentage of total primary education teachers includes full-time and part-time teachers.

Limitations: The indicator measures the level of gender representation in the teaching profession, rather than the effectiveness and quality of teaching.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 36 values

Primary education, teachers (% female) in nearby economies

• Albania — 88.8% (2024)
• Andorra — 81.6% (2024)
• Armenia — 89.52% (2024)
• Austria — 91.39% (2024)
• Azerbaijan — 94.18% (2024)
• Belarus — 99.51% (2024)
• Belgium — 82.68% (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 86.56% (2023)
• Bulgaria — 94.22% (2024)
• Croatia — 93.42% (2023)
• Cyprus

More education data for Sweden

• Primary school starting age (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 859,847 (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 987,895 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.05 (2020)
• School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.07 (2020)
• School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1.08 (2020)
• School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Sweden's primary education, teachers (% female)?

81.77% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1971?

It is down 1.35 percentage points from 83.12% in 1971. The highest value was 84.74% in 1973 and the lowest 72.31% in 1996.

How does Sweden rank?

42nd highest of 105 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in primary education, teachers (% female) unusual for Sweden?

In 2024, Sweden's primary education, teachers (% female) rose 0.04 percentage points on 2023 (from 81.72% to 81.77%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1975 to 2023), the average change was +0.07 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.32 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.TCHR.FE.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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