Women's average earnings as percentage of men's in Sweden 2014-2023

In Sweden, men earn slightly more than women. From 2016 to 2021, women's average earnings in the country were 96 percent of that of their male counterparts, but dropped to 95 percent in 2022. This is despite the fact that women have a higher educational level than men.

Unequal pay, a frequently observed problem

Even though women in Sweden earn less on average than men, the gender pay gap is smaller in Sweden than in several other European countries. However, in a survey about attitudes towards gender equality, equal pay for equal work was considered the second most important issue facing women and girls in Sweden today.

Gender difference in the distribution among occupations and sectors

The main reason for the lack of equal pay for men and women is that the latter group tends to work in occupations where average salaries are lower than in those dominated by men. For instance, the average salary in the human health sector in Sweden is 35,000 Swedish kronor, compared to 57,200 in financial institutions and insurance companies. The health care sector in the country has a high share of female employees.