Completed Year 12

At the 2021 Census, Completed Year 12 across Australia was 58.8%. The share of people whose highest level of school completed is Year 12 (or equivalent).

Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent. It is calculated as a percentage of the relevant population or dwellings, so it can be compared fairly between large and small areas.

School completion is a foundational measure of educational opportunity and is strongly linked to later income and employment.

Worth knowing: It reflects schooling that may have happened decades ago and anywhere in the world, so it describes residents' history, not the local schools.

Across the 2,382 SA2 areas with data, Completed Year 12 ranges from 0.0% to 96.2%, with a typical (median) area at 56.2%.

Yes — Completed Year 12 is measured consistently enough to compare across the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Censuses, so the trend over time is meaningful. Nationally it has risen from 49.2% in 2011 to 58.8% in 2021.

Use the interactive map to compare Completed Year 12 down to block (sa1) and statistical area 2 (sa2) level, or search any suburb, postcode or council area to see its value in context against state and national figures.