Average grades in Swedish compulsory schools
Average grades in compulsory school means the average year-9 merit value. The national average is 227.7 points in 2023/24.
How to read average grades
Merit value sums a pupil's strongest subject grades and is often used as a compact result measure for year 9. A municipality or school average therefore shows roughly how strong final grades are, but the measure should be read together with pupil background, national tests and teacher certification.
This page covers 1,545 active compulsory schools with a published merit value. Source: Skolverket .
Compare average grades by municipality
Continue to each municipality's own ranking to see which compulsory schools drive the average. Each municipality page compares schools, merit value, teacher certification and pupil count side by side.
Municipalities with the highest average grades
Municipalities with the lowest average grades
The list includes municipalities with at least three compulsory schools that have published merit values. Low values should always be interpreted with local context.
| Municipality | Average grades | Schools with data |
|---|---|---|
| Östra Göinge | 178.8 | 3 |
| Svalöv | 183.9 | 3 |
| Älmhult | 185.5 | 3 |
| Lindesberg | 188.5 | 3 |
| Bjuv | 190.0 | 3 |
| Ronneby | 192.3 | 4 |
| Kristinehamn | 205.3 | 3 |
| Motala | 205.4 | 6 |
| Mark | 206.2 | 6 |
| Mariestad | 206.3 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
What does average grades mean in compulsory school?
On Skolkoll, average grades is a plain-language label for the average year-9 merit value. It is based on final grades and helps compare results between schools and municipalities.
What is the national average for year-9 grades?
The national average in Skolkoll's data is 227.7 merit-value points for compulsory schools with published statistics in 2023/24.
Are average grades and merit value the same thing?
Yes. In this statistics page, average grades means average merit value. The merit value is calculated from pupils' subject grades and can normally reach 320 points, or 340 with a modern language.
Can average grades be compared directly between schools?
Average grades should be read together with pupil composition, SALSA results, national tests, teacher certification and school size. A high average can reflect both strong teaching and favourable pupil prerequisites.
Why are average grades missing for some schools?
Statistics may be missing if the school has no year 9, if the cohort is too small for publication, or if the value is absent from the current Skolverket data delivery.