Schools in Pajala municipality
17 active school units in Pajala, Norrbottens län. The three most common school forms: 6 after-school care, 6 compulsory school, 6 preschool (+5 more) (a school can have multiple forms).
Data updated: 7 May 2026. School data covers 2023/24; Kolada data may cover different periods.
Pajala has 17 schools with an average merit value of 233.4, which is near the national average. Teacher qualification: 54.1% (below the national average of 73.3%).
Summary — Pajala
Five key insights about the municipality's education system.
- The share of qualified teachers (61.5%) is 11.8 percentage points below the national average.
- Merit value has increased by 9.2 points over the last 5 years (2020–2025).
- Schools perform on average +30 merit points above expectations (SALSA model).
- Teacher qualification rate is improving: +5.9 percentage points over the measurement period.
- Cost per compulsory school pupil (204,793 SEK) is 44% higher than the national average (142,155 SEK).
Key metrics — Pajala municipality
Overview of the municipality's education system.
Pajala municipality has 17 schools with an average merit value of 233.4 (national avg 228.5). Teacher qualification is below the national average of 73.3%. Compared to similar municipalities, Pajala outperforms its peers.
Development over time
Key education metrics for Pajala over 6 years (2020–2025).
Merit values have increased by 9.2 points since 2020.
The share of qualified teachers has increased by 5.9 percentage points since 2020.
Cost per pupil has increased by 25,128 SEK since 2020.
In-depth statistics
All 17 schools in Pajala
Compare schools| School | School forms | Provider | Pupils | Qual. teachers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anpassad Grundskola | Adapted compulsory school | Pajala kommun | — | — |
| BACKENS FÖRSKOLA | Preschool | Pajala kommun | 30 | 12.5% |
| Gårdbyskolan | Adapted compulsory school, After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | Pajala kommun | 70 | 55.6% |
| Kangos Kultur- o ekologiskola | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | Kangos Kultur Och Ekologiskola | 50 | 45.4% |
| KVARNENS FÖRSKOLA | Preschool | Pajala kommun | 25 | 21.9% |
| Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala | Adapted upper secondary school, Upper secondary school | Lapplands Kommunalförbund | 140 | 48.8% |
| LILLSKOGENS FÖRSKOLA | Preschool | Pajala kommun | 37 | 36% |
| Pajala Centralskola | After-school care, Compulsory school | Pajala kommun | 230 | 72.6% |
| Pajala Lärcentra | Adult education | Lapplands Kommunalförbund | — | — |
| Pajala Lärcentra anpassad utbildning | Adult education | Lapplands Kommunalförbund | — | — |
| Pajala Lärcentra SFI | Adult education | Lapplands Kommunalförbund | — | — |
| SATTAJÄRVI FÖRSKOLA | Preschool | Pajala kommun | 15 | — |
| Sattajärvi skola | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | Pajala kommun | 50 | 64.6% |
| Smedskolan | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | Pajala kommun | 90 | 56% |
| SNICKARENS FÖRSKOLA | Preschool | Pajala kommun | 26 | 42.1% |
| Tärendö Centralskola | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | Pajala kommun | 20 | 35.5% |
| TÄRENDÖ FÖRSKOLA | Preschool | Pajala kommun | 14 | — |
Compulsory school
Results, teachers, costs and student health
Results and grades
Compulsory school results in Pajala (2025).
Source: Kolada.
Teachers and personnel
Teacher density and qualification in compulsory schools (2025).
Source: Kolada.
Show more: staff stability, student health, mother tongue, SALSA, grade distribution
Staff stability
Teacher workforce stability in Pajala, measured by the trend in qualified teacher share over time.
Source: Kolada.
Pupils and providers
Pupil numbers and distribution between municipal and independent schools (2025).
Source: Kolada.
Costs — compulsory school
Cost per pupil in compulsory school (2024). Includes breakdown for municipal schools.
Source: Kolada (N15006, N15008–N15014).
Student health and support
Student health resources, accessibility and school safety in Pajala.
Source: Kolada, Skolinspektionen.
Mother tongue and multilingualism
Mother tongue instruction and multilingualism in Pajala.
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.
| School | Actual | Model | Residual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pajala Centralskola | 233 | 204 | +30.0 |
Top merit-value schools
Top 1 schools by year-9 merit value.
| School | Provider | Merit value | SALSA | Qualified teachers | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pajala Centralskola | Pajala kommun | 233.4 | +30.0 | 72.6% | 230 |
Adapted compulsory school
Key metrics for adapted compulsory school in Pajala (2025).
Source: Kolada.
Trends — compulsory school
Development over time (2020–2025).
Safety and study environment
School survey results for schools in Pajala
Municipal average — safety and study environment
Average results from the national school survey in Pajala, based on 7 schools with survey data.
NKI trend over time (Pupils year 5)
Average school satisfaction index (0–10) in Pajala municipality, based on at least 3 schools per year. Source: Skolinspektionen — Skolenkäten.
Schools ranked by safety
Schools in Pajala sorted by pupils' perceived safety (national school survey). Higher is better.
▲ Highest safety
▼ Lowest safety
Safety per school in Pajala
Upper secondary
Results, costs and staff in upper secondary schools
Upper-secondary statistics
Key metrics for upper-secondary schools in Pajala (2024).
Source: Kolada.
Trends — upper secondary
Development over time (2020–2024).
University connection
Share of upper-secondary students in Pajala going on to higher education.
Source: Kolada. Directly to university = share starting university the same year as graduation.
Pupil forecast
Population forecast for school-age children in Pajala (SCB).
Source: SCB population forecast. The forecast indicates future demand pressure.
Preschool and childcare
Preschool, after-school care and pedagogical care
Preschool in Pajala
Municipal preschool data. Source: Skolverket's statistics database.
After-school care (fritidshem)
Key metrics for after-school care in Pajala (2024).
Source: Kolada.
Pedagogical care
Key metrics for pedagogical care (family daycare etc.) in Pajala (2025).
Source: Kolada.
Open preschool and family daycare
Open preschool and family daycare in Pajala (2024).
Source: Kolada.
Trends — preschool and childcare
Development over time (2020–2024).
Children and youth
Health, economy and support
Children's and youth's health
Health indicators for children and young people in Pajala (2024).
Source: Kolada (N33820).
Trends — adult education
Development in komvux and SFI (2020–2024).
Teacher certification: trend and forecast
Historical trend for the share of qualified teachers in Pajala 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 Pajala.
Pajala achieves fewer merit points per invested krona than the national average.
Source: Kolada. Merit value per cost unit is a simplified measure and should be interpreted considering the municipality's socioeconomic conditions.
Peer municipalities
Compare Pajala with statistically similar municipalities
Comparison with peer municipalities
Pajala compared with 7 statistically similar municipalities. Colour coding: better / average / worse than peer average (±3%).
| Municipality | Merit value | Qual. teachers | Cost/pupil | Graduating 3 yrs | SALSA score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pajala you | 230 | 61.5% | 204,793 SEK | 67.2% | +30.0 |
| Jokkmokk | 214.5 | 61.7% | 182,751 SEK | 51.3% | +13.0 |
| Arjeplog | 203.1 | 54.4% | 184,502 SEK | 81.8% | -18.0 |
| Kiruna | 213.7 | 53.2% | 171,792 SEK | 77.7% | +5.8 |
| Överkalix | 215.3 | 45.7% | 179,764 SEK | 52.2% | +7.0 |
| Gällivare | 218.4 | 45.4% | 166,697 SEK | 68.7% | +8.3 |
| Övertorneå | 197.9 | 48.1% | 171,513 SEK | 68.3% | – |
| Kalix | 204.4 | 72.8% | 162,223 SEK | 70.6% | -19.5 |
| Peer average | 209.6 | 54.5% | 174,177 SEK | 67.2% | -0.6 |
Trends compared with peer municipalities
Source: Kolada. Municipalities selected based on similar education key metrics within Norrbottens län.
Similar municipalities (SCB group)
Municipalities in the same SCB classification group: Rural municipality
Benchmark vs SCB group C8
Pajala belongs to SCB municipality group C8 — Rural municipality: municipality with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants in the largest urban area and low commuting. Here is how Pajala compares to the 40 municipalities in the group.
Municipalities in the same SCB group
Pajala belongs to SCB municipality group C8 — Rural municipality: municipality with fewer than 15,000 inhabitants in the largest urban area and low commuting. 40 municipalities in total. Showing 8 below.
| Municipality | Merit value | Qualified teachers | Cost/pupil | Graduating 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pajala | 230 | 61.5% | 204,793 SEK | 67.2% |
| Arvidsjaur | 213 | 67.7% | 150,409 SEK | 78.4% |
| Arvika | 213.8 | 73% | 158,016 SEK | 71.9% |
| Bengtsfors | 213.2 | 70.8% | 174,380 SEK | 73% |
| Bollnäs | 214.6 | 67.7% | 146,677 SEK | 64.6% |
| Dals-Ed | 225.9 | 82.1% | 170,292 SEK | 73.7% |
| Dorotea | 233.7 | 60.7% | 220,403 SEK | 81.5% |
| Filipstad | 208.9 | 65.1% | 154,997 SEK | 60% |
| Gislaved | 208.3 | 66.5% | 144,536 SEK | 57.6% |
Source: SCB municipality classification (2017) and Kolada. Compare with more municipalities using the Benchmark tool
Common questions about schools in Pajala
- How many schools are there in Pajala?
- Pajala municipality has 17 active school units: 6 compulsory schools and 1 upper-secondary schools. Of these, 16 are municipal and 1 are independent. A total of 797 pupils attend schools in Pajala.
- What are the merit values in Pajala?
- The average year-9 merit value in Pajala is 233.4 points (based on 1 schools). The highest merit value belongs to Pajala Centralskola with 233.4 points.
- Which school in Pajala has the highest teacher qualification rate?
- Pajala Centralskola has the highest share of qualified teachers in Pajala at 72.6%. The municipal average is 54.1%.
- How much does a school place cost in Pajala?
- The cost per pupil in compulsory school in Pajala is 204,793 SEK per year (2024). In municipal schools the cost is 181,665 SEK per pupil.
- How do student health services work in Pajala?
- Student health services in Pajala cost 6,825 SEK per pupil (2024). 59.2% of year 5 pupils find it easy to access student health services.
Statistics: school year 2023/24. Source: Skolverket, SCB, Kolada.
Glossary · About the data.
— = data not available from source.
National comparison
See how Pajala municipality compares in a national perspective.
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