Salaries in Sweden by Industries and Professions

Sweden ranks sixth in the United Nations' rating of living standards. In this country, a high level of healthcare, education, social welfare, coupled with developed trade unions, reflects a commitment to ensuring a decent life for every worker.

Let’s discuss the average salary in Sweden, the highest and lowest paying professions, and also explore whether there is a minimum wage in the country.

Previously, we discussed how to find a job in Norway.

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According to the Statistical Office of Sweden (Statistikmyndigheten) for the year 2022, the average gross salary in the country was 38,300 Swedish kronor. In 2021, Swedes earned 36,400 SEK on average. The net average figures are not provided by the statistical service since tax rates vary significantly by municipality, affecting the net salary.

From 2020 to 2021, the average salary in Sweden increased by 4.9 percent overall: wage earners received an increase of 3.9 percent, while civil servants received a 5.5 percent increase. In kronor, this translates to 1,080 and 2,260 respectively.

The average salary in Sweden per month in euros is 3,419.43. This keeps the country in a strong position within the “middle range” of the European Union in terms of wage levels.

For a more accurate representation of earnings, median figures are used. The median salary often provides a more objective picture of the situation than the mean. The mean can be significantly influenced by the highest and lowest figures, even if they are singular.

The median is the number that is in the middle of a set of numbers. When calculating the median wage, all values are arranged in order, and the one in the middle is taken: 1,000, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500. The median would be 2,500.

Comparison of Median and Mean Salaries in Sweden

Industry SectorMedian SalaryMean Salary
Total34,20038,300
Private Sector34,40039,000
Public Sector33,90036,600
Source: Statistikmyndigheten

In Sweden, the average earnings consist of:

  • In the private sector: base salary + variable allowances + benefits; overtime compensations are not included in the calculation.
  • In the public sector: base salary + fixed and variable allowances.

Statistics do not account for individuals whose working day constitutes less than 5% of the total, nor do they include positions with monthly wages below 12,000 Swedish kronor.

Data on the average salary in Sweden for 2023 at the time of the article’s publication were not yet available.

According to a study by the trade union organization Akavias löneenkät, 7 out of 10 people with the highest pay work in the information technology sector. Alongside them, the list traditionally includes bank managers and industry directors. If a specialist works in one of the major cities, their remuneration can be very high.

CityEconomistLawyerSociologistITHR Specialist
Stockholm59,30055,00050,00057,50050,200
Gothenburg53,90050,50045,00053,00045,000
Malmö/Lund53,70049,00044,50052,00046,000
South48,00046,80044,10049,00043,700
Uppsala/Örebro/Dalarna48,20045,40045,00049,70043,000
North45,90047,00043,00048,70044,100
Source: Akavias löneenkät Salary Survey in 2022

The most common position among high earners is CEO. In 2021, there were about 6,000 of them. Doctors also earn well, along with managers, IT specialists, and civil engineers.

PositionMonthly Salary (Swedish Kronor)
Financial and Insurance Manager150,100
Municipality or County Council Director102,400
Financial Broker99,200
CEO90,100
Specialist Physician86,400
Financial and Economic Managers86,100
Lower-Level Managers in Finance and Insurance85,800
Research and Development Managers83,800
Operations Managers in Mining and Construction81,000
IT Managers77,200
Source: Statistikmyndigheten

Earnings in Low-Paying Professions in Sweden

PositionMonthly Salary (Swedish Kronor)
Service Personnel23,400
Berry Picker, Plantation Worker23,500
Café and Confectionery Cashiers24,900
Market Researcher, Interviewer24,900
Restaurant Kitchen Assistants25,200
Cleaner25,600
Nanny25,800
Wallpaperer26,100
Gardener26,500
Source: Statistikmyndigheten
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Average Salary in Sweden by Gender

There is a noticeable gender disparity in wages: men earn 40,200 Swedish kronor, while women earn only 36,200. The wage gap amounts to about 10 percent.

Partially, this disproportion can be explained by the fact that men and women are employed in different sectors. When conducting standard weighing to determine if both genders receive equal pay for the same position, the indicator adjusted to 5%.

In some parts of Sweden, income levels can vary significantly. Municipalities with high average incomes are typically large cities.

However, in 2022, the highest earnings were in Danderyd, a small town near Stockholm. However, this may be explained by the fact that historically, many wealthy residents of the capital live in this municipality.

Competition for skilled labor is also strongest in large cities. International companies' headquarters and the main branches of local network businesses are located here.

Beyond the major municipalities, small companies are based, which cannot compete with market giants in terms of payout levels.

Thus, in Sweden, the salary of a programmer, teacher, nurse, or doctor will vary from region to region.

Labor Income in Municipalities with the Highest Income Level

MunicipalityAmount in Swedish Kronor per Year
Danderyd530,800
Lomma505,900
Täby485,000
Vaxholm472,400
Lidingö470,600
Nacka462,500
Vellinge460,600
Ekerö457,600
Gällivare443,300
Kiruna440,600

Labor Income in Municipalities with the Lowest Income Level

MunicipalityAmount in Swedish Kronor per Year
Perstorp312,700
Ljusnarsberg320,400
Högsby322,100
Filipstad326,800
Hällefors329,000
Ragunda330,000
Vilhelmina330,100
Östra Göinge330,100
Flen331,600
Lessebo332,900

The lowest remuneration is received by young people aged 18 to 24, earning 23,650 Swedish kronor per year. Salaries increase from ages 20 to 30 and peak between the ages of 40 and 60.

Can You Earn More in Sweden with Higher Education?

Education level significantly influences the level of remuneration in Sweden. For example, workers with a 9th-grade education earn half as much as those who have completed a master’s degree. A bachelor’s degree graduate earns an average of 59,000 Swedish kronor per year, whereas someone with only a high school diploma can expect no more than 27,300 kronor.

Education LevelMen (Swedish Kronor)Women (Swedish Kronor)
Elementary School, up to 9 years28,50025,900
Elementary School, 9-10 years33,10028,500
Middle School, 2 years36,10031,400
Middle School, 3 years35,60031,100
Higher Education, less than 3 years41,80035,700
Higher Education, more than 3 years51,100 42,700
Postgraduate Education (Master’s, PhD)61,10045,400
Source: Statistikmyndigheten

Sweden has a relatively high tax burden. In 2020, according to the taxpayers' report, the tax burden in the country was 10 percentage points higher than the world average.

The report states that the total revenue to the treasury amounts to 2,150 billion Swedish kronor per year. Of these, about 700 billion goes to municipalities, and 370 to regions. Primarily, these funds consist of municipal tax (Kommunalskatt), which employed individuals in Sweden pay monthly from their salaries.

Deductions from the employee’s salary go to the municipality where the person is registered as of November 1 of the previous year. When moving, the registration shifts to the new location on November 1, and payments at the changed rate start on January 1.

The tax rate is determined by the municipality, which depends on the political party that governs it. Therefore, when comparing, the indicator may differ by several percentage points in different regions of the country.

In 2024, the average tax rate will be 32.37%. This marks an increase of 0.14% compared to the previous year, representing the largest growth in nine years.

The highest taxes are in northern Sweden, with the municipality of Degerfors in the Orebro district having the highest tax rate.

MunicipalityRate in %
Degerfors35.30
Dorotea35.15
Brekke35.09
Sorsele34.95
Windeln34.95
Osela34.95
Ragunda34.92
Stromsund34.92
Munkedal34.86
Arjeplog34.86

The lowest tax rates are found in the Stockholm and Skåne districts.

MunicipalityRate in %
Osteraker28.98
Vellinge29.68
Kavlinge29.69
Solna29.75
Taby29.93
Lidingo30.22
Orkelljunga30.24
Nek30.26
Staffanstorp30.37
Stockholm30.36

Apart from municipal tax, residents of Sweden also pay other taxes. Approximately 100 kronor per month is allocated for municipal services. Additionally, 1% of income is paid for membership in the Swedish Church. Even non-parishioners must contribute 26.1 öre for every 100 kronor earned as a burial fee (begravningsavgift). This tax is not tied to individual funerals; instead, the funds are used for maintaining burial sites, cremation, and burial services.

Furthermore, high-income earners in Sweden contribute 20% of their income directly to the state (from 540,700 kronor per year / 45,000 per month).

Social benefits and employer contributions are not deducted from the net salary; instead, the employer covers these expenses.

At the national level, there is no legislatively established minimum wage in Sweden. Instead, the minimum wage is determined through collective agreements between employers and trade unions. Since such agreements are not mandatory, the lowest wage threshold is determined by the minimum salary set within a specific company that has joined a collective agreement.

When considering applying for a job in Sweden, it is important to inquire whether a potential employer has signed any agreements with a trade union, and if so, what minimum wage is specified in it.

As an example, let’s consider the indicators of a popular collective agreement in the service sector — the Green National Agreement for the 1st pay group (work requiring average education or extensive practical experience).

Minimum Wage Without Professional Experience, SEK:

  • Effective from April 1, 2023: 25,539 per month / 147.62 per hour.
  • Effective from April 1, 2024: 26,382 per month / 152.50 per hour.

Minimum Wage with Work Experience of 6 Years, SEK:

  • Effective from April 1, 2023: 27,339 per month / 158.03 per hour.
  • Effective from April 1, 2024: 28,241 per month / 163.24 per hour.
Source: HRF.net

Additionally, let’s provide the values of minimum wages that Kommunal (a Swedish trade union with over 500,000 members) has negotiated with the Employers' Alliance. The agreement is valid until September 30, 2025.

Effective from October 1, 2023, Minimum Wage, SEK:

  • Overall: 22,203
  • For individuals with sufficient secondary education: 24,456

Effective from October 1, 2024, Minimum Wage, SEK:

  • Overall: 23,252
  • For individuals with sufficient secondary education: 25,505
Source: Kommunal.se

The difference is quite small, but it does exist. Collective agreements also specify the sizes of payments, contributions to pension funds, the amount by which wages will be increased, and general terms of employment, such as maternity benefits, voluntary resignation, etc.

The average income of individuals born abroad and coming to work in the country in 2022 was SEK 301,700. This is approximately 77% of the total wages among the native population.

The lowest earnings are noted among immigrants from Africa and Asia — 63 and 68% respectively. On the other hand, those who immigrated from neighboring Scandinavian countries have incomes roughly at the same level as Swedes.

The indicator increases with the length of stay in the country. Those who have been in Sweden for more than 20 years earn on average 93 percent of the income of those born in the country.

Cost of Living in Sweden

According to the news publication Arbetet, a 25-year-old unmarried individual living in Stockholm needs a minimum of 16,718 kronor per month (20,147 before tax deductions). This amount consists of:

  • Food, assuming cooking at home — 3,630;
  • Electricity, insurance, media subscriptions, household expenses — 3,710;
  • Personal expenses (clothing, mobile and internet, hygiene, leisure) — 2,350;
  • Public transportation (card) — 970;
  • Union fee and other miscellaneous expenses — 490;
  • Rent in Stockholm — 5,568.

To ensure that the salary matches these expenses, an employee needs to choose a company where the collective agreement on minimum wages exceeds the resulting amount. Not every agreement crosses the 20,000 Swedish kronor gross threshold.

Despite the fact that migrant wages are lower than those of native-born individuals, the level of pay in Sweden is sufficiently high. The income earned allows foreigners not only to support themselves but also to help their relatives who remain in their home countries.

The mobile application Korona is a convenient money transfer service from Europe to 50+ countries. Sending transfers is available from all European Union countries, including Sweden. When transferring money with currency conversion (when the sending and receiving currencies differ), no commission is charged.

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In our blog, we share a lot about life and work in European countries. Follow the link and read more.