Compensation of employees (% of expense) in Sweden
Sweden: Compensation of employees (% of expense) was 9.2% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Compensation of employees in Sweden, 1972–2022
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for compensation of employees in Sweden is 9.2%, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, compensation of employees in Sweden peaked at 13.5% in 1972 and was at its lowest, 5.5%, in 1993.
That places Sweden 145th out of 155 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Compensation of employees (% of expense) in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 13.5% | — |
| 1973 | 12.8% | -5.6% |
| 1974 | 11.6% | -8.9% |
| 1975 | 10.9% | -6.2% |
| 1976 | 10.4% | -4.9% |
| 1977 | 9.6% | -7.7% |
| 1978 | 9.3% | -3.2% |
| 1979 | 8.6% | -7.7% |
| 1980 | 8.3% | -3.5% |
| 1981 | 7.4% | -10.6% |
| 1982 | 7.1% | -4.2% |
| 1983 | 6.5% | -7.6% |
| 1984 | 6.6% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 6.0% | -8.9% |
| 1986 | 6.1% | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 6.5% | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 6.0% | -7.5% |
| 1989 | 6.2% | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 6.3% | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 6.1% | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 5.8% | -5.6% |
| 1993 | 5.5% | -6.0% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | +11.4% |
| 1995 | 7.6% | +24.7% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | +8.8% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 7.8% | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 8.0% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | +8.6% |
| 2001 | 9.1% | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 9.2% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 9.5% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 9.6% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 9.4% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 9.3% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 9.3% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 8.9% | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 8.8% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 9.0% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 9.3% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 9.2% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 9.3% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 9.2% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 9.3% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 9.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 9.3% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 9.4% | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 9.2% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 9.2% | -0.4% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 9.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 49% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 9.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.4%, 56% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.8% | 8.6% | 13.5% | 8 |
| 1980s | 6.7% | 6.0% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.0% | 5.5% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.2% | 8.7% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 8.8% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.1% | 9.0% | 9.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 142 Australia 9.5% compare
- 143 Moldova 9.5% compare
- 144 Mexico 9.2% compare
- 146 South Korea 8.8% compare
- 147 United States 8.1% compare
- 148 Netherlands 7.8% compare
More public sector data for Sweden
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 146.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 6.24 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -32.65 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is compensation of employees in Sweden?
- Compensation of employees in Sweden was 9.2% in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest compensation of employees recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 13.5% in 1972.
- What is the lowest compensation of employees recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.5% in 1993.
- How does Sweden rank for compensation of employees?
- Sweden ranks 145th out of 155 countries with data for 2022.
- Is compensation of employees rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Compensation of employees (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Compensation of employees is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an enterprise to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.