Schools in Karlstad municipality

Key metrics — Karlstad municipality

Overview of the municipality's education system.

Results and grades

Compulsory school results in Karlstad (2025).

Merit value year 9 (municipal avg, 16 subjects)

228.7 (national avg: 228.5) (county avg: 213.8)

meritRating9 B

Source

kolada

Period

2025

Quality

B: Direct from source

Merit value municipal / independent

223.6 / 249.3

Passing all subjects year 9

74.6%

Passing mathematics

91.4%

Pupil satisfaction year 5

74.9%

Pupil satisfaction year 8

58.8%

Parents with post-secondary education

72.6%

Source: Kolada.

Teachers and personnel

Teacher density and qualification in compulsory schools (2024).

Qualified teachers (compulsory school)

78.3% (national avg: 72.6 %) (county avg: 70.9 %)

certifiedTeachersPercent B

Source

kolada

Period

2024

Quality

B: Direct from source

Qualification municipal / independent

79.3% / 53.1%

Pupils per teacher

12.8

Source: Kolada.

Staff stability

Teacher workforce stability in Karlstad, measured by the trend in qualified teacher share over time.

Qualified teachers (2024)

78.3% (national avg: 72.6%)

Stability indicator (2020–2024)

↓ Declining (-3.2 pp)

National trend (2020–2024)

↑ Improving (+1.5 pp)

Forecast 2026

≈ 77.1% (linear extrapolation, -0.6 pp/year)

Source: Kolada.

Pupils and providers

Pupil numbers and distribution between municipal and independent schools (2024).

Compulsory school pupils

9,393

Municipal / independent share

89.5% / 10.5%

Source: Kolada.

Costs — compulsory school

Cost per pupil in compulsory school (2024). Includes breakdown for municipal schools.

Cost per pupil (total)

140,574 SEK (national avg: 142,154.8 SEK) (county avg: 155,095.5 SEK)

Municipal school cost

139,928 SEK/pupil

Teaching

74,563 SEK/pupil

Premises

29,435 SEK/pupil

Student health

4,915 SEK/pupil

School meals

6,555 SEK/pupil

Learning tools

5,360 SEK/pupil

Source: Kolada (N15006, N15008–N15014).

Student health and support

Student health resources, accessibility and school safety in Karlstad.

Student health (compulsory)

4,915 SEK/pupil (national avg: 5,053.2 SEK)

Student health (upper secondary)

4,118 SEK/pupil (national avg: 3,981 SEK)

Easy to access help, year 5

72.9%

Easy to access help, year 8

62.2%

Safety at school

79%

Study environment (studiero)

31.9%

Source: Kolada, Skolinspektionen.

Mother tongue and multilingualism

Mother tongue instruction and multilingualism in Karlstad (2025).

Passed mother tongue, year 9

91.4%

Passed SvA, year 9

85.5%

Newly arrived (last 3 years)

2.3%

Source: Skolverket, Kolada.

SALSA — merit value vs prerequisites ⓘ∿Model computedThis value is calculated using a statistical model.This affectsSALSA score (municipality)SALSA is model-based and does not explain the full variation in school outcomes.Read more →Read more about the method →

SALSA compares schools' actual results with model-calculated values based on pupil composition. A positive residual = better results than expected. School year 2024/25. SALSA measures relative performance — not absolute school quality. The model explains approx. 53% of variation.

Top merit-value schools

Top 9 schools by year-9 merit value.

Adapted compulsory school

Key metrics for adapted compulsory school in Karlstad (2024).

Number of pupils

127

Cost per pupil

531,875 SEK/year

Teachers per 100 pupils

5

Source: Kolada.

Trends — compulsory school

Development over time (2020–2025).

Upper-secondary statistics

Key metrics for upper-secondary schools in Karlstad (2024).

Upper-secondary pupils

3,207

Graduating within 3 years

77.3% (national avg: 71.3 %)

University eligibility (3 years)

62% (national avg: 57.5 %)

Qualified teachers (upper secondary)

90.1% (national avg: 85.3 %)

Cost per upper-secondary pupil

148,246 SEK (national avg: 144,058.4 SEK)

Grade points upper secondary (avg)

14.3 (national avg: 14.8)

Pupils per teacher (upper secondary)

13

Municipal upper-secondary cost

137,128 SEK/pupil

Withdrawn study support

11.5%

Foreign background (upper secondary)

22%

Diploma/certificate within 3 years

81.3%

Directly to university

16.3% (national avg: 16.7 %)

Source: Kolada.

Trends — upper secondary

Development over time (2020–2024).

University connection

Share of upper-secondary students in Karlstad going on to higher education (2022).

Directly to university

16.3% (national avg: 16.7 %)

University eligibility (all)

62% (national avg: 57.5 %)

Eligibility — academic programmes

87.4% (national avg: 82.4 %)

Eligibility — vocational programmes

20.6% (national avg: 27.4 %)

Graduating within 3 years

77.3% (national avg: 71.3 %)

Source: Kolada. Directly to university = share starting university the same year as graduation.

Pupil forecast

Population forecast for school-age children in Karlstad (SCB).

Ages 16–18 (2025)

3,253

Ages 16–18 (2030)

3,357 (+3.2%)

Ages 6–15 (2025)

10,527

Ages 6–15 (2030)

9,974 (-5.3%)

Ages 1–5 (2025)

4,520

Total school age (2035)

17,166

Source: SCB population forecast. The forecast indicates future demand pressure.

Komvux (adult education)

Key metrics for municipal adult education in Karlstad (2024).

Number of komvux pupils

2,935

Cost per FTE student

61,452 SEK/year

Passing grades, basic level

74.4%

Passing grades, upper-sec. level

70.3%

Teacher licence, basic level

100%

Teacher licence, upper-sec. level

53.3%

Net cost basic adult edu.

99 SEK/capita/year

Net cost upper-sec. adult edu.

264 SEK/capita/year

Source: Kolada.

SFI (Swedish for immigrants)

Key metrics for SFI in Karlstad (2024).

Number of SFI pupils

488

Cost per FTE student

214 SEK/year

SFI course D pass rate

98.2%

Teachers with licence

61.3%

Source: Kolada.

Preschool in Karlstad

Municipal preschool data. Source: Skolverket's statistics database.

Enrolled children

4,141

Preschool units

73 (54 municipal, 19 independent)

Share of 1–5 year-olds in preschool

90% (national avg: 86.8%)

Children per group

15.2 (national avg: 15)

Children per group (1–3 years)

12.5 (national avg: 12.1)

Children per FTE

5.3 (national avg: 5)

Preschool teacher licence

64% (national avg: 46.5%)

Pedagogical higher education

63% (national avg: 45.9%)

After-school care (fritidshem)

Key metrics for after-school care in Karlstad (2024).

Cost per child

34,678 SEK/year (national avg: 46,711.8 SEK)

Children in after-school care

4,186

Children per FTE

22.6 (national avg: 21.6)

Share of 6–12 year-olds enrolled

57.4% (national avg: 57.6 %)

Source: Kolada.

Pedagogical care

Key metrics for pedagogical care (family daycare etc.) in Karlstad (2024).

Children in pedagogical care

21

Share of children 1–5

0.5%

Cost per enrolled child

75,884 SEK/year

Source: Kolada.

Open preschool and family daycare

Open preschool and family daycare in Karlstad (2024).

Open preschool units

7

Open preschool FTEs

5

Source: Kolada.

Trends — preschool and childcare

Development over time (2020–2024).

Children's and youth's health

Health indicators for children and young people in Karlstad (2024).

Mental health issues, children/youth

9.5%

Source: Kolada (N33820).

Child and youth welfare

Key metrics for child and youth welfare in Karlstad (2024).

Initiated child investigations

38 per 1,000 pop. 0–20

Children placed in care

12.4 per 1,000 pop. 0–20

Net cost child/youth welfare

2,982 SEK/pop. 0–20/year

Source: Kolada (N31801, N31810, N31819).

Children's economic conditions

Child poverty and economic standard in Karlstad (2024).

Children in economic hardship

18.3%

Median economic standard

334 kSEK

Source: SCB — EU poverty threshold (60% of median) and weighted DeSO medians.

Demographics

Population data for Karlstad (2025).

Total population

99,007

Population change

0.9%

Ages 1–5 (preschool age)

4,474

Ages 6–15 (compulsory school age)

9,564

Ages 16–18 (upper-secondary age)

3,231

Higher education 25–64

35.3%

Foreign-born 20–64

19.6%

16–24 not in work/education

4.3%

Source: Kolada.

Household types

Distribution of household types in Karlstad (2024).

Single without children

47.8%

Single with children

5.6%

Couple without children

23.9%

Couple with children

17.5%

Other households

5.2%

Total number of households

50,538

Source: SCB.

Migration patterns

In- and out-migration in Karlstad (2024).

In-migration

6,205

Out-migration

5,374

Net migration

+831

Source: SCB.

Neighboring municipalities

Comparison with the 6 nearest municipalities by geographic distance.

Refugee reception

Refugee reception in Karlstad (2025).

Newly arrived received

0.6 per 1,000 pop.

Newly arrived children 0–17

13 per 1,000 pop.

Establishment rate after 2 years

67.6%

Source: Kolada.

Trends — demographics

Demographic development (2020–2025).

Municipal economy

Economic key metrics for Karlstad (2025).

Municipal tax rate

21.3%

Total tax rate (municipality+region)

33.6%

Tax base

266,343 SEK/capita

Annual result

2,079 SEK/capita

Result, share of tax+grants

3.1%

Solidity

35.5%

Source: Kolada.

Economic assistance

Economic assistance (social benefits) in Karlstad (2024).

Assistance households

3 per 1,000 pop.

Young adults 18–24 with assistance

4.4%

Assistance months (avg)

45.4

Net cost economic assistance

1,657 SEK/capita

Source: Kolada.

Learning tools and digitalisation

Cost of learning tools in Karlstad. Includes textbooks, computers, software, internet access and other teaching equipment.

Learning tools, compulsory school

5,360 SEK/pupil

Source: Kolada (N15012, N17011). Learning tools incl. IT: computers, software, books, AV equipment etc.

Housing and infrastructure

Housing and infrastructure indicators for Karlstad.

Overcrowded households (Kolada)

9.2%

Completed dwellings

5.1 per 1,000 pop.

Good public transport

99.1%

Broadband ≥100 Mbit/s

90.5%

Rental

36.9%

Cooperative

20.1%

Owner-occupied

41.7%

Overcrowded (SCB, norm 2)

9.2%

Cars in traffic

41,837

Source: Kolada, SCB.

Trends — economy and housing

Economic development (2020–2025).

Crime and safety

Reported crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in Karlstad (2024).

Reported crimes (total)

9,840 per 100,000 pop.

Violent crimes

875 per 100,000 pop.

Burglaries

440 per 100,000 pop.

Drug crimes

967 per 100,000 pop.

Source: Kolada. Data from BRA.

LSS and disability services

LSS services in Karlstad (2024).

LSS cost per capita 0–64

5,810 SEK/year

LSS decisions per 1,000 pop. 0–64

1

Source: Kolada.

Culture school

Key metrics for the music and culture school in Karlstad (2023).

Share of pupils 6–19

11.3%

Number of pupils

1,675

Average pupil fee

583 SEK/pupil

Cost per capita

283 SEK/capita

Source: Kolada.

Public library

Key metrics for public libraries in Karlstad (2024).

Loans per capita

5.5 per capita

Children's book loans (0–17)

5.3 per capita

Active borrowers

27%

Media allocation

507 SEK/capita

Source: Kolada.

Environment

Environmental indicators for Karlstad (2023).

CO₂ emissions per capita

2.3 tonnes

Organic food (municipal kitchens)

29.5%

Source: Kolada.

Trends — society and culture

Development in society and culture (2020–2023).

Trends — adult education

Development in komvux and SFI (2020–2024).

Teacher certification: trend and forecast

Historical trend for the share of qualified teachers in Karlstad with a forecast based on linear extrapolation.

Source: Kolada. The forecast is indicative and based on linear regression.

Cost-effectiveness

Comparison between cost per pupil and achieved school results (merit value year 9) in Karlstad.

Karlstad achieves more merit points per invested krona than the national average — an indication of good cost-effectiveness.

Source: Kolada. Merit value per cost unit is a simplified measure and should be interpreted considering the municipality's socioeconomic conditions.

Comparison with peer municipalities

Karlstad compared with 7 statistically similar municipalities. Colour coding: better / average / worse than peer average (±3%).

Source: Kolada. Municipalities selected based on similar education key metrics within Värmlands län.

Municipalities in the same SCB group

Karlstad belongs to SCB municipality group B3 — Större stad: kommuner med 50 000–200 000 invånare i den största tätorten. 21 municipalities in total. Showing 8 below.

Source: SCB municipality classification (2017) and Kolada. Compare with more municipalities using the Benchmark tool →

All 152 schools in Karlstad

Common questions about schools in Karlstad

How many schools are there in Karlstad?

Karlstad municipality has 152 active school units: 41 compulsory schools and 22 upper-secondary schools. Of these, 119 are municipal and 33 are independent. A total of 16,728 pupils attend schools in Karlstad.

What are the merit values in Karlstad?

The average year-9 merit value in Karlstad is 232.2 points (based on 9 schools). The highest merit value belongs to Nordic International School Karlstad with 257.3 points.

Which school in Karlstad has the highest teacher qualification rate?

GLÄNTANS FÖRSKOLA has the highest share of qualified teachers in Karlstad at 100%. The municipal average is 67%.

How much does a school place cost in Karlstad?

The cost per pupil in compulsory school in Karlstad is 140,574 SEK per year (2024). In municipal schools the cost is 139,928 SEK per pupil.

How do student health services work in Karlstad?

Student health services in Karlstad cost 4,915 SEK per pupil (2024). 72.9% of year 5 pupils find it easy to access student health services. The figure for year 8 is 62.2%.

Statistics: school year 2023/24. Source: Skolverket, SCB, Kolada. Glossary · About the data.
— = data not available from source.