CensusAtlas

Hunter · Federal Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Hunter

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

Far fewer people in Hunter have finished high school or university compared to other areas, which shapes the local skill set. Only 38.6% of residents completed Year 12, a figure far below the national average. While university degrees are less common, there is a strong focus on trade certificates.

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📍 Hunter, Federal Electorate

Where Hunter sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

13.2% —

All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Hunter — lower than 85% of areas.

Hunter13.2%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion sits at 38.6%, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 58.9%. This is much lower than most areas, although the rate has risen by 3.1 percentage points since 2011.

Completed Year 12

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38.6% ▲ +8.7%

Lower than 88% 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 Hunter, the largest group is Year 12 at 42%, followed by Year 10 (36%) and Year 9 or below (14%).

Year 12 38.6% Year 10 33.2% Year 9 or below 13.1% Year 11 7.6%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Only 13.2% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the Australian average of 26.3%. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 41.7% of residents.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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13.2% —

Lower than 85% of federal electorate areas.

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

Field of study

What people studied.

Engineering and related fields are the most common qualifications at 20.7%, followed by management and commerce at 16.6%. Health and society and culture qualifications also make up a significant portion of the local workforce.

Schools

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

There are 2.54 schools per 1,000 children, which is much higher than most areas. Most students attend government schools (73.8%), and the average school size of 318 is much lower than in other similar areas.

Schools within 3 km

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84

Higher than 83% 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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961

Lower than 89% 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 Hunter — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Hunter

84 schools — 26,740 students, average ICSEA 961.

By sector: Government 62 · Independent 12 · Catholic 10

By type: Primary 61 · Secondary 13 · Combined 10
Milbrodale Public School, Milbrodale Government Primary 6.6 km 19 800
Broke Public School, Broke Government Primary 17.2 km 30 861
Jerrys Plains Public School, Jerrys Plains Government Primary 19.3 km 15 877
King Street Public School, Singleton Government Primary 24.0 km 433 900
Singleton Public School, Singleton Government Primary 24.1 km 353 950
Singleton High School, Singleton Government Secondary 24.2 km 877 901
Singleton Heights Public School, Singleton Heights Government Primary 24.2 km 468 920
Australian Christian College - Singleton, Singleton Independent Combined 24.4 km 389 1,005
St Catherine's Catholic College, Singleton Catholic Combined 25.0 km 1,010 974
Kirkton Public School, Lower Belford Government Primary 32.8 km 45 926
Martindale Public School, Martindale Government Primary 35.0 km 7 992
Mount Pleasant Public School, Singleton Government Primary 36.6 km 56 910
Rosary Park Catholic School, Branxton Catholic Primary 37.5 km 375 1,002
Millfield Public School, Millfield Government Primary 37.8 km 101 932
Branxton Public School, Branxton Government Primary 37.9 km 540 949
St Joseph's Primary School, Denman Catholic Primary 39.3 km 42 1,026
Denman Public School, Denman Government Primary 39.6 km 147 949
Laguna Public School, Laguna Government Primary 40.1 km 52 969
Mount View High School, Cessnock West Government Secondary 40.4 km 930 911
St Philip's Christian College - Cessnock, Nulkaba Independent Combined 40.5 km 1,276 1,032
Bellbird Public School, Bellbird Government Primary 40.8 km 355 907
Nulkaba Public School, Nulkaba Government Primary 40.9 km 389 931
Paxton Public School, Paxton Government Primary 41.0 km 80 926
Greta Public School, Greta Government Primary 41.4 km 186 935
Cessnock West Public School, Cessnock Government Primary 41.9 km 399 884
St Patrick's Primary School, Cessnock Catholic Primary 42.3 km 347 975
Richard Gill School, Muswellbrook Independent Primary 42.7 km 43 996
St James' Primary School, Muswellbrook Catholic Primary 43.3 km 345 952
Cessnock East Public School, Cessnock Government Primary 43.5 km 215 835
Cessnock Public School, Cessnock Government Primary 43.6 km 276 876
Ellalong Public School, Ellalong Government Primary 44.0 km 114 903
Muswellbrook South Public School, Muswellbrook Government Primary 44.1 km 439 819
Cessnock High School, Cessnock Government Secondary 44.1 km 616 892
Muswellbrook High School, Muswellbrook Government Secondary 44.5 km 648 869
Congewai Public School, Congewai Government Primary 44.7 km 11 888
Pacific Brook Christian School, Muswellbrook Independent Combined 45.4 km 88 950
Muswellbrook Public School, Muswellbrook Government Primary 45.6 km 422 913
Kitchener Public School, Kitchener Government Primary 46.1 km 113 930
Kearsley Public School, Kearsley Government Primary 47.1 km 114 897
Sandy Hollow Public School, Sandy Hollow Government Primary 50.9 km 23 814
Mulbring Public School, Mulbring Government Primary 56.2 km 56 954
West Wallsend Public School, West Wallsend Government Primary 65.0 km 268 950
North Academy, West Wallsend Independent Secondary 65.0 km 35 966
Cooranbong Public School, Cooranbong Government Primary 65.3 km 330 948
West Wallsend High School, West Wallsend Government Secondary 65.4 km 632 940
Avondale School, Cooranbong Independent Combined 65.5 km 977 1,055
Wakefield School, Wakefield Government Secondary 66.2 km 31 869
Awaba Public School, Awaba Government Primary 67.3 km 29 940
Barnsley Public School, Barnsley Government Primary 67.5 km 276 950
Edgeworth Heights Public School, Edgeworth Government Primary 68.3 km 305 969
St Benedict's Primary School, Edgeworth Catholic Primary 68.5 km 357 1,037
Dora Creek Public School, Dora Creek Government Primary 69.1 km 139 939
Fassifern Public School, Fassifern Government Primary 69.2 km 59 947
Edgeworth Public School, Edgeworth Government Primary 69.2 km 647 967
Charlton Christian College, Fassifern Independent Combined 69.6 km 831 1,063
Blackalls Park Public School, Blackalls Park Government Primary 69.6 km 217 966
Teralba Public School, Teralba Government Primary 69.9 km 111 959
Biraban Public School, Toronto Government Primary 70.1 km 163 871
Morisset High School, Morisset Government Secondary 70.2 km 687 929
Morisset Public School, Morisset Government Primary 70.2 km 156 919
St John Vianney Primary School, Morisset Catholic Primary 70.4 km 118 961
Toronto Adventist School, Toronto Independent Primary 70.5 km 43 1,173
Toronto High School, Toronto Government Secondary 70.6 km 952 961
Argenton Public School, Argenton Government Primary 70.7 km 46 934
St Paul's Catholic College, Booragul Catholic Secondary 70.8 km 636 1,026
Booragul Public School, Booragul Government Primary 71.0 km 206 931
Five Islands School, Booragul Government Combined 71.0 km 51 890
Heritage College Lake Macquarie, Morisset Independent Combined 71.1 km 511 1,002
Fennell Bay Public School, Fennell Bay Government Primary 71.2 km 159 889
Glendale Technology High School, Glendale Government Secondary 71.3 km 802 946
Lake Macquarie High School, Booragul Government Secondary 71.3 km 435 925
Holy Cross Primary School, Glendale Catholic Primary 71.4 km 153 1,036
Toronto Public School, Toronto Government Primary 71.6 km 201 910
St Joseph's Primary School, Kilaben Bay Catholic Primary 71.6 km 194 1,023
Macquarie College, Wallsend Independent Combined 71.8 km 1,060 1,110
Alesco Secondary College, Cooks Hill Independent Secondary 72.1 km 664 949
Glendale East Public School, Glendale Government Primary 72.3 km 232 956
Bonnells Bay Public School, Bonnells Bay Government Primary 73.0 km 376 925
Rathmines Public School, Rathmines Government Primary 73.3 km 311 996
Arcadia Vale Public School, Arcadia Vale Government Primary 73.8 km 171 971
Brightwaters Christian College, Brightwaters Independent Combined 74.7 km 106 1,001
Coal Point Public School, Coal Point Government Primary 74.8 km 245 1,065
Wangi Wangi Public School, Wangi Wangi Government Primary 75.3 km 181 987
Wyee Public School, Wyee Government Primary 75.6 km 193 955

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 Hunter [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED121/hunter/topic/education