Career paths in the school sector

Different ways to develop and advance as staff in the Swedish school system — with estimated timelines and salaries.

Professional development in schools

The Swedish school system offers several career paths for staff who want to grow. Whether you work as a childcare worker, teaching assistant, after-school educator or teacher, there are opportunities to further your education, increase your expertise and improve your conditions.

Below we present five common career paths with steps, time estimates and salaries based on SCB’s wage structure statistics. Salary levels vary by municipality, employer and experience. University education in Sweden is tuition-free — CSN provides student grants and loans.

Salary overview — by role

Average salaries by role according to SCB’s wage structure statistics .

School assistant

29,300 kr

After-school educator

33,200 kr

Preschool teacher

35,700 kr

Primary teacher

39,600 kr

Secondary teacher

42,000 kr

Special needs teacher

42,800 kr

Principal

53,600 kr

Source: SCB Wage Structure Statistics. See Salary guide for full analysis by region and gender.

Childcare worker to preschool teacher

Duration: approx. 3.5 years Salary before: ~28,000 kr/month Salary after: 35,700 kr/month Cost: tuition-free (CSN eligible)

Childcare worker (barnskötare) Upper secondary education (child and recreation programme) or equivalent.

Apply to preschool teacher programme Apply via antagning.se. Basic eligibility required. Alternatively the VAL programme if you have professional experience.

Preschool teacher programme / VAL 3.5 years (210 ECTS) full-time, or shorter via the VAL programme depending on prior knowledge. Can be studied remotely.

Certified preschool teacher Apply for certification from Skolverket. You now have pedagogical responsibility and can issue assessments.

The VAL programme route can be shorter if you have sufficient professional experience and prior relevant education.

Teaching assistant to special needs educator

Duration: approx. 5–7 years Salary before: 29,300 kr/month Salary after: 42,800 kr/month Cost: tuition-free

Teaching assistant (elevassistent) Supports pupils in the classroom. No formal education required, but experience is valuable.

Teacher education Obtain a teaching degree (3.5–5 years depending on specialisation). Can be combined with work via distance learning.

Work as a certified teacher Accumulate at least three years of professional experience as a teacher. This is a requirement for admission to the special needs educator programme.

Special needs educator programme 1.5 years (90 ECTS). Available as distance learning at several universities. Leads to a special needs educator degree.

Special needs educator (specialpedagog) Works with guidance, assessments and learning environment development. Usually part of the student health team.

A longer path, but the salary increase and changed professional role make it an attractive career route for many.

After-school educator to special needs teacher

Duration: approx. 3–4 years Salary before: 33,200 kr/month Salary after: 42,800 kr/month Cost: tuition-free

After-school educator (fritidspedagog) Certified teacher in after-school care (fritidshem). Works with pupils in leisure activities.

Supplementary education If you lack subject qualifications you may need to supplement via KPU (supplementary pedagogical training) or subject studies (1–2 years).

Special needs teacher programme 1.5 years (90 ECTS) with specialisation, e.g. language, reading and writing development or mathematics development.

Special needs teacher (speciallärare) Teaches pupils in need of extra support. Often works directly with pupils in their subject area.

Usually requires a teaching degree and at least three years’ professional experience for admission to the special needs teacher programme.

Unqualified teacher to qualified via VAL

Duration: 1–2 years Salary after: 39,600 kr/month (compulsory school)

Unqualified teacher Teaches without a teaching licence . Fixed-term employment, cannot set grades independently.

Apply to the VAL programme Requirements: subject knowledge (e.g. academic degree) and professional experience. Apply via antagning.se.

Studies via VAL Individual study plan based on your prior knowledge. 1–2 years, usually part-time and remote alongside work. Tuition-free, CSN eligible.

Qualified teacher with licence Apply for certification from Skolverket. Permanent employment, right to set grades, better salary.

The VAL programme (Further Training of Teachers) is one of the fastest routes to qualification if you are already working in a school.

Teacher to first teacher or senior lecturer

Salary supplement: approx. 5,000–10,000 kr/month First teacher: appointed by organiser Senior lecturer: requires doctoral studies

Certified teacher Basic requirement: teaching licence and at least four years of well-documented work in school.

First teacher (förstelärare) Career position appointed by the organiser. Requirements: licence, at least 4 years’ experience, documented teaching excellence. Salary supplement of at least 5,000 kr/month.

Senior lecturer (lektor) Requires a licentiate or doctoral degree. Salary supplement of at least 10,000 kr/month. Combines teaching with research-based development.

Career positions are funded via state grants (the career service grant). The number of positions varies between organisers.

Resources and links

Key external resources for anyone exploring career paths in the Swedish school sector.

Skolverket: Information on teaching licences, career positions and qualification rules. skolverket.se
UHR (Swedish Council for Higher Education): Applications for teacher education and the VAL programme. antagning.se
Sveriges Lärare (Swedish Teachers): Salary statistics, career guidance and information on terms for teachers. (Formed in 2023 through the merger of Lärarförbundet and Lärarnas Riksförbund.) sverigeslarare.se
Studera.nu: Search and compare programmes, including teacher education and special needs programmes. studera.nu
CSN: Student grants and loans for those looking to further their education. csn.se

Common questions about career development

Can I become a teacher without a teaching degree?

Yes, you can work as an unqualified teacher, but you cannot set grades independently and have less job security. Through the VAL programme (Further Training of Teachers) you can become qualified if you have subject knowledge and professional experience.

What is the VAL programme?

VAL stands for Vidareutbildning av lärare och förskollärare (Further Training of Teachers). It targets people already working in schools who lack a formal degree. The programme is tailored to your prior knowledge and typically takes 1–3 years.

How do you become a first teacher (förstelärare)?

First teacher is a career position appointed by the organiser (municipality or independent school). You need certification, at least four years of well-documented work, and demonstrated ability to improve teaching.

What does a special needs educator earn?

The median salary for a special needs educator is around 38,000–42,000 kr per month, depending on municipality and experience. This is usually higher than a compulsory-school teacher’s salary.

Can I study alongside my job?

Yes, many career paths are designed for working professionals. The VAL programme, the special needs educator programme and supplementary pedagogical training (KPU) can be taken via distance learning and part-time.

What is the difference between a special needs educator and a special needs teacher?

A special needs educator (specialpedagog) typically works at a strategic level with guidance, assessments and learning environment development. A special needs teacher (speciallärare) works more directly with pupils who need extra support, often in a specific subject area such as literacy or mathematics.

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