There’s no denying Sweden is a great place to work. Swedish employees enjoy some of the world’s best vacation, healthcare, pension, and job security benefits. Combine that with several high-ranking universities, and it’s easy to see why Sweden is a favorite destination for academics. Here's a breakdown of the most common Swedish academic jobs and their salaries. All salary statistics in this article are in Swedish kronor (SEK) and are pre-tax. Swedish taxes are based on where you live (around 30%) and how much you earn.
PhD Student Salary
A student working towards a PhD is called a doktorand in Swedish. On average, it takes four years to complete a PhD in Sweden. Each university regulates its PhD salaries in a local collective agreement. This means that base salaries and salary scales differ between universities. For instance, at Karolinska Institutet, PhD student salaries range from 27,900 SEK to 31,200 SEK per month, while at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the minimum salary is 32,000 SEK, with progression to 36,100 SEK by the final year (KTH). The average PhD salary across Sweden in 2024 is around 35,000 SEK(Fastepo).
Postdoc Salary
After earning a PhD, most researchers go on to a postdoc (postdoktor) in Sweden. Postdocs can either be on a stipend/fellowship or have an employment contract with their university. Postdocs on stipends are not entitled to the benefits that usually come with an employment contract, such as sick pay and paid parental leave, but their stipends are not taxed. According to updated figures for 2024, postdocs employed with contracts earn between 32,000 and 38,000 SEK per month, depending on the institution (SULF) (KTH).
Biträdande Lektor Salary (Assistant Professor)
A biträdande lektor is the Swedish equivalent of a tenure-track assistant professor. This position allows an academic who earned their PhD in the last five years to develop as a researcher, scholar, and teacher. At the end of their contract, the biträdande lektor is evaluated and promoted to the permanent position of lektor if successful. The salary for this role in 2024 ranges from 44,760 SEK to 48,960 SEK per month (SULF).
Lektor Salary (Associate Professor)
This position is equivalent to a tenured associate professor. In addition to researching and publishing, a lektor is expected to teach and supervise PhD students. In 2024, the average monthly salary for a lektor is 57,500 SEK at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and 52,900 SEK at Uppsala University (KTH) (SULF).
Professor Salary
This position used to be quite rare at Swedish universities, as it was only held by department chairs, but since 1999, it has become more common. Similar to a full professor in the U.S., Swedish professors have strong publication records, proven teaching skills, and have usually established themselves as international or national leaders in their field. In 2024, professors in Sweden earn between 67,550 SEK and 78,266 SEK per month (Average Salary Survey), with some institutions, like KTH, reporting median salaries at the higher end of this range.