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Cowper · Federal Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Cowper

How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.

Only 42.3% of people in Cowper completed Year 12, a figure far below the national average. This reflects a broader trend in the area where school completion and university degrees are much lower than in most other parts of the country.

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📍 Cowper, Federal Electorate

Where Cowper sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

16.6% —

All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Cowper — lower than 70% of areas.

Cowper16.6%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

The proportion of people finishing Year 12 has fallen by 11 points since 2011. This result is far below the New South Wales figure of 58.9%, with nearly 30% of residents leaving school after Year 10.

Completed Year 12

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42.3% ▼ -21.1%

Lower than 80% of federal electorate areas.

Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.

Highest year of school

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In Cowper, the largest group is Year 12 at 46%, followed by Year 10 (32%) and Year 9 or below (14%).

Year 12 42.3% Year 10 29.3% Year 9 or below 13.1% Year 11 6.8%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

University qualifications are less common here than in most areas, with only 16.6% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is well below the Australian average of 26.3%, though the figure has risen slightly since 2016.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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16.6% —

Lower than 70% of federal electorate areas.

Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).

Highest qualification level

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In Cowper, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 43%, followed by Bachelor degree (24%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (19%).

Certificate III / IV 34.0% Bachelor degree 19.1% Advanced diploma / diploma 14.7% Postgraduate degree 4.9% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.2% Certificate I / II 2.6%

Field of study

What people studied.

For those with higher qualifications, the most common fields are management and commerce at 16.2%, followed by engineering and health, which both sit around 12%.

Schools

Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).

Cowper has a much higher number of schools per 1,000 children than most areas, with 91 schools located within 3km of residents. However, school sizes and advantage scores are much lower than in similar regions.

Schools within 3 km

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91

Higher than 86% of federal electorate areas.

Schools serving the area — within 3 km of small areas, or inside larger ones. A measure of access (catchments overlap, so don't add it across areas).

Average school ICSEA

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986

Lower than 77% of federal electorate areas.

Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).

Schools in and around Cowper — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Cowper

91 schools — 28,919 students, average ICSEA 986.

By sector: Government 59 · Independent 17 · Catholic 15

By type: Primary 57 · Secondary 21 · Combined 13
St Mary's Primary School, Bowraville Catholic Primary 7.1 km 48 827
St Patrick's Primary School, Macksville Catholic Primary 7.1 km 244 1,002
Bowraville Central School, Bowraville Government Combined 7.7 km 207 861
Macksville High School, Macksville Government Secondary 8.1 km 365 916
Macksville Public School, Macksville Government Primary 8.1 km 284 925
Tallowood Steiner School, Bowraville Independent Primary 10.0 km 94 989
Eungai Public School, Eungai Creek Government Primary 13.9 km 57 926
Medlow Public School, Medlow Government Primary 15.5 km 33 978
Scotts Head Public School, Scotts Head Government Primary 16.1 km 73 1,014
Nambucca Heads High School, Nambucca Heads Government Secondary 16.6 km 314 890
Nambucca Valley Christian Community School, Nambucca Heads Independent Combined 16.6 km 555 1,042
Frank Partridge VC Public School, Nambucca Heads Government Primary 16.7 km 217 886
Nambucca Heads Public School, Nambucca Heads Government Primary 18.4 km 156 904
Stuarts Point Public School, Stuarts Point Government Primary 19.5 km 53 848
South West Rocks Public School, South West Rocks Government Primary 28.1 km 348 952
St Mary's Primary School, Bellingen Catholic Primary 29.2 km 123 1,039
Bellingen Public School, Bellingen Government Primary 29.3 km 219 998
Bellingen High School, Bellingen Government Secondary 29.5 km 584 1,006
Urunga Public School, Urunga Government Primary 30.1 km 179 974
Willawarrin Public School, Willawarrin Government Primary 30.9 km 34 838
Chrysalis School for Rudolf Steiner Education, Thora Independent Combined 32.5 km 188 1,032
Bellbrook Public School, Bellbrook Government Primary 33.1 km 24 732
Orama Public School, Thora Government Primary 33.9 km 32 983
Raleigh Public School, Raleigh Government Primary 33.9 km 24 1,097
Kinchela Public School, Kinchela Government Primary 34.7 km 27 951
Repton Public School, Repton Government Primary 34.9 km 63 1,030
Smithtown Public School, Smithtown Government Primary 35.6 km 54 885
Frederickton Public School, Frederickton Government Primary 36.1 km 130 890
Gladstone Public School, Gladstone Government Primary 36.6 km 19 1,004
Aldavilla Public School, Yarravel Government Primary 38.5 km 263 896
Green Hill Public School, West Kempsey Government Primary 38.8 km 19 712
St Paul's College, West Kempsey Catholic Secondary 38.8 km 641 999
Kempsey High School, Kempsey Government Secondary 39.7 km 584 848
St Joseph's Primary School, West Kempsey Catholic Primary 40.4 km 332 991
Kempsey West Public School, West Kempsey Government Primary 40.7 km 422 794
Crossmaglen Public School, Crossmaglen Government Primary 41.1 km 45 988
Kempsey East Public School, Kempsey Government Primary 41.3 km 180 875
Bonville Public School, Bonville Government Primary 41.6 km 121 979
Melville High School, Kempsey Government Secondary 42.1 km 355 849
Mount St John Primary School, Dorrigo Catholic Primary 42.1 km 61 961
Kempsey South Public School, Kempsey Government Primary 42.6 km 129 767
Dorrigo Public School, Dorrigo Government Primary 42.7 km 72 948
Coffs Harbour Christian Community School, Bonville Independent Combined 42.9 km 1,008 1,037
Macleay Vocational College, South Kempsey Independent Secondary 43.0 km 88 787
Dorrigo High School, Dorrigo Government Secondary 43.3 km 118 951
Kempsey Adventist School, Kempsey Independent Combined 43.5 km 458 953
William Bayldon Public School, Sawtell Government Primary 45.4 km 159 812
Mary Help of Christians Primary School Sawtell, Toormina Catholic Primary 46.2 km 490 1,052
Sawtell Public School, Sawtell Government Primary 46.4 km 293 1,003
Toormina Public School, Toormina Government Primary 46.6 km 174 922
Coffs Harbour Learning Centre, Boambee Government Secondary 46.6 km 23 841
Toormina High School, Toormina Government Secondary 46.9 km 739 941
Coffs Harbour Bible Church School, Toormina Independent Combined 48.0 km 37 1,021
Boambee Public School, Boambee Government Primary 48.1 km 383 996
Coffs Harbour Senior College, Coffs Harbour Government Secondary 49.7 km 454 1,038
St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour Catholic Secondary 50.1 km 1,062 1,044
Orara Upper Public School, Upper Orara Government Primary 50.1 km 33 940
Bishop Druitt College, Coffs Harbour Independent Combined 51.0 km 1,351 1,109
Ulong Public School, Ulong Government Primary 52.4 km 32 903
St Augustine's Primary School, Coffs Harbour Catholic Primary 53.1 km 738 1,036
Coffs Harbour Public School, Coffs Harbour Government Primary 53.3 km 474 897
Cascade Environmental Education Centre, Cascade Government Combined 53.4 km — —
Narranga Public School, Coffs Harbour Government Primary 53.4 km 669 948
Allegra School Coffs Harbour, Coffs Harbour Independent Secondary 53.5 km 83 984
Maam Giingana Gumbaynggirr, Coffs Harbour Independent Combined 53.6 km 81 798
Coffs Harbour High School, Coffs Harbour Government Secondary 53.8 km 783 957
Crescent Head Public School, Crescent Head Government Primary 54.5 km 167 987
Tyalla Public School, Coffs Harbour Government Primary 54.7 km 258 872
Casuarina Steiner School, Coffs Harbour Independent Primary 54.8 km 103 1,072
Orara High School, Coffs Harbour Government Secondary 54.8 km 858 896
Kororo Public School, Korora Government Primary 58.4 km 441 1,019
Telegraph Point Public School, Telegraph Point Government Primary 69.3 km 126 968
Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie Catholic Secondary 79.7 km 327 996
Heritage Christian School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined 80.0 km 345 1,032
St Joseph's Primary School, Port Macquarie Catholic Primary 80.0 km 397 1,017
Nautilus Senior College, Port Macquarie Independent Secondary 80.1 km 113 833
Port Macquarie Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary 80.2 km 451 932
North East Public School of Distance Education, Port Macquarie Government Primary 80.2 km 45 979
Hastings Secondary College, Westport Campus, Port Macquarie Government Secondary 80.7 km 612 919
Hastings Secondary College, Port Macquarie Campus, Port Macquarie Government Secondary 80.7 km 717 971
Westport Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary 80.9 km 365 888
Port Macquarie Steiner School, Port Macquarie Independent Primary 80.9 km 69 1,051
St Agnes' Primary School, Port Macquarie Catholic Primary 81.2 km 553 1,029
St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie Catholic Secondary 82.6 km 1,026 1,017
MacKillop College Port Macquarie, Port Macquarie Catholic Secondary 82.8 km 1,107 1,068
Hastings Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary 82.8 km 526 1,019
St Peter's Primary School, Port Macquarie Catholic Primary 83.0 km 534 1,075
St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined 83.6 km 1,221 1,116
Port Macquarie Adventist School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined 84.2 km 91 1,011
The Nature School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined 84.7 km 171 1,054
Tacking Point Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary 85.0 km 594 1,054

Sources

  • Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
  • Australian Schools List — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025 (CC BY 4.0).

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Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Cowper [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED110/cowper/topic/education