Do independent schools produce higher merit values?
The merit value in year 9 is the most widely used measure for comparing compulsory schools. It is calculated from the pupil's 16 best subject grades and can reach a maximum of 340 points. The national average is around 230.
The distribution curve shows that independent schools as a group have a somewhat higher average merit value than municipal schools. The curve for independent operators is shifted to the right.
But interpretation requires caution. Independent schools on average have pupils with more favourable socioeconomic backgrounds. When you control for parental education level and income, the difference shrinks dramatically — and in some studies it disappears entirely.
The spread within each group is moreover larger than the difference between the groups. The best municipal schools have higher merit values than the worst independent schools — and vice versa. Choosing a school based solely on operator type would mean missing the large variation that exists within both categories.
Statistics: academic year 2023/24. Source: Skolverket open data, Kolada and SCB. Processed by Skolkoll. Glossary · About the data.