Sweden vs United States
Sweden vs United States: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 11.6 years in Sweden and 10.6 years in United States, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Sweden, by 1 years, or 1.1 times that in United States.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- Sweden has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2010.
- In 2020, Sweden ranked 9 and United States ranked 34 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Sweden | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 11.6 | 10.6 |
| 2018 | 11.7 | 10.8 |
| 2017 | 11.7 | 11.1 |
| 2010 | 11.1 | 10.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Sweden vs United States
Health
- Life expectancySweden: 83.3 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySweden: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySweden: 1.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSweden: 99.7% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionSweden: 4.49% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
- Suicide rateSweden: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017United States: 12.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSweden: 10.6 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthSweden: 0.56% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSweden: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSweden: 89.1% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageSweden: 39.9 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSweden: 20.5% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateSweden: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSweden: 2.47% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSweden: $15B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personSweden: $1,549 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSweden: 5% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSweden: 15,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerSweden: 0.19% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSweden: 0.27% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSweden: 146 million TIV in 2025United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSweden: 235 million TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025