Teacher certification — county-by-county comparison
The share of certified teachers varies considerably between Sweden's 21 counties. Stockholm County and university towns tend to have higher certification, while the Norrland counties and parts of central Sweden find it harder to recruit.
An important nuance emerges when comparing municipal and independent schools. Municipal schools generally have a higher share of certified teachers — but the difference varies greatly between counties. In some counties the gap is negligible; in others it is significant.
The teacher shortage is not evenly distributed. Certain subjects such as mathematics, technology and modern languages have a chronic shortage of certified teachers, while Swedish and social studies have better coverage. The regional variation amplifies the effect — in counties with generally low certification, the shortage subjects are hit extra hard.
Raising teacher certification in the most disadvantaged counties is one of the most important issues for achieving an equitable school system in Sweden. Measures such as higher salaries in shortage areas, distance education and fast-track routes to teacher certification are being discussed — but the data shows that the problem persists.
Statistics: academic year 2023/24. Source: Skolverket open data, Kolada and SCB. Processed by Skolkoll. Glossary · About the data.