Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden

Sweden: Over-qualification rates by citizenship was 14.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
14.9%
Change on year
up 5.7%
World rank
38th
of 45 countries
All-time high
16.5%
in 2014
All-time low
11.3%
in 2002
Years of data
29
1997–2025

Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden, 1997–2025

0510151997201120251997: 13.1 Percentage1998: 14.8 Percentage1999: 14.8 Percentage2000: 14.6 Percentage2001: 11.5 Percentage2002: 11.3 Percentage2003: 12.1 Percentage2004: 12.2 Percentage2005: 13.1 Percentage2006: 14.1 Percentage2007: 14.4 Percentage2008: 14.9 Percentage2009: 14.6 Percentage2010: 15.2 Percentage2011: 16 Percentage2012: 16.2 Percentage2013: 16.3 Percentage2014: 16.5 Percentage2015: 16.4 Percentage2016: 16.1 Percentage2017: 16.4 Percentage2018: 16.4 Percentage2019: 15.6 Percentage2020: 14.8 Percentage2021: 14 Percentage2022: 13.9 Percentage2023: 14 Percentage2024: 14.1 Percentage2025: 14.9 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden is 14.9%, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and down 9.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden peaked at 16.5% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2002.

That places Sweden 38th out of 45 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.

Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden, 1997 to 2025.
Year Percentage Change
1997 13.1% —
1998 14.8% +13.0%
1999 14.8% +0.0%
2000 14.6% -1.4%
2001 11.5% -21.2%
2002 11.3% -1.7%
2003 12.1% +7.1%
2004 12.2% +0.8%
2005 13.1% +7.4%
2006 14.1% +7.6%
2007 14.4% +2.1%
2008 14.9% +3.5%
2009 14.6% -2.0%
2010 15.2% +4.1%
2011 16.0% +5.3%
2012 16.2% +1.2%
2013 16.3% +0.6%
2014 16.5% +1.2%
2015 16.4% -0.6%
2016 16.1% -1.8%
2017 16.4% +1.9%
2018 16.4% +0.0%
2019 15.6% -4.9%
2020 14.8% -5.1%
2021 14.0% -5.4%
2022 13.9% -0.7%
2023 14.0% +0.7%
2024 14.1% +0.7%
2025 14.9% +5.7%

Sweden compared with similar countries

  • Sweden's 14.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 20.1%, 74% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Sweden's 14.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 20.0%, 74% of the median. (31 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 14.2% 13.1% 14.8% 3
2000s 13.3% 11.3% 14.9% 10
2010s 16.1% 15.2% 16.5% 10
2020s 14.3% 13.9% 14.9% 6

Countries ranked near Sweden

  1. 35 Denmark 16.3% compare
  2. 36 Portugal 16.1% compare
  3. 37 Romania 15.6% compare
  4. 39 Hungary 14.3% compare
  5. 40 Netherlands 14.1% compare
  6. 40 Netherlands 14.1% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More reference data data for Sweden

All data for Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden?
Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden was 14.9% in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest over-qualification rates by citizenship recorded in Sweden?
The highest recorded value was 16.5% in 2014.
What is the lowest over-qualification rates by citizenship recorded in Sweden?
The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2002.
How does Sweden rank for over-qualification rates by citizenship?
Sweden ranks 38th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
Is over-qualification rates by citizenship rising or falling in Sweden?
Over the last ten years it is down 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sweden data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Over-qualification rates by citizenship. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Over-qualification rates by citizenship in Sweden. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/over-qualification-rates-by-citizenship/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Over-qualification rates by citizenship
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,261 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed