CensusAtlas

Newcastle · Federal Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Newcastle

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

Management and commerce degrees are the most common qualification in Newcastle, where 17.5% of qualified residents studied in this field. This is a well-educated area where nearly 30% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. Schooling has improved significantly over the last decade, with the share of people finishing Year 12 jumping by 24 percentage points since 2011.

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📍 Newcastle, Federal Electorate

Where Newcastle sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

29.2% —

All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Newcastle — higher than 69% of areas.

Newcastle29.2%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

About 58.9% of residents have completed Year 12, which is about the same as the figures for New South Wales and Australia. Other common outcomes include 21.3% finishing Year 10 and 8.4% finishing Year 9 or below.

Completed Year 12

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58.9% ▲ +67.2%

Higher than 56% 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 Newcastle, Year 12 is the majority at 63%; Year 10 is next at 23%.

Year 12 58.9% Year 10 21.3% Year 9 or below 8.4% Year 11 5.2%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

A bachelor degree or higher is held by 29.2% of adults, which is higher than most areas and a little above the national figure of 26.3%. This proportion has risen by 4.9 percentage points since 2016.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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29.2% —

Higher than 69% 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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Newcastle splits fairly evenly between Bachelor degree (35%) and Certificate III / IV (30%), with Advanced diploma / diploma at 16%.

Bachelor degree 29.9% Certificate III / IV 25.8% Advanced diploma / diploma 13.6% Postgraduate degree 10.6% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.9% Certificate I / II 1.9%

Field of study

What people studied.

Beyond management and commerce, the most common fields of study are engineering and related subjects at 14.4%, health at 13.8%, and society and culture at 12.3%.

Schools

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

Newcastle has 70 schools within 3km, with 2.58 schools per 1,000 children, which is much higher than most areas. While the average school size is lower than most areas, the average school advantage score is higher.

Schools within 3 km

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70

Higher than 72% 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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1,066

Higher than 69% 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 Newcastle — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Newcastle

70 schools — 27,328 students, average ICSEA 1,066.

By sector: Government 45 · Catholic 16 · Independent 9

By type: Primary 43 · Secondary 15 · Combined 12
Waratah West Public School, Waratah West Government Primary 1.1 km 113 963
Heaton Public School, Jesmond Government Primary 1.1 km 162 955
Callaghan College Jesmond Senior Campus, Jesmond Government Secondary 1.1 km 659 980
Our Lady of Victories Primary School, Shortland Catholic Primary 1.3 km 130 1,025
Margaret Jurd College, Shortland Independent Secondary 1.3 km 103 889
Jesmond Public School, Jesmond Government Primary 1.4 km 216 923
St John's Primary School, Lambton Catholic Primary 1.7 km 200 1,083
Corpus Christi Primary School, Waratah Catholic Primary 1.8 km 169 1,085
Shortland Public School, Shortland Government Primary 1.8 km 271 926
Lambton Public School, Lambton Government Primary 1.9 km 339 1,065
St Philip's Christian College - Waratah, Waratah Independent Combined 1.9 km 1,466 1,138
Waratah Public School, Waratah Government Primary 2.0 km 351 1,019
St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning, Waratah Independent Combined 2.2 km 223 1,022
St Philip's Christian College Young Parents, Waratah Independent Secondary 2.2 km 52 776
Newcastle Middle School, Waratah Government Combined 2.3 km 45 967
Awabakal Environmental Education Centre, Shortland Government Combined 2.3 km — —
Newcastle Senior School, Waratah Government Secondary 2.3 km 37 960
Mayfield West Public School, Mayfield Government Primary 2.4 km 342 1,033
Callaghan College Waratah Campus, Waratah Government Secondary 2.5 km 848 957
Lambton High School, Lambton Government Secondary 3.0 km 1,176 1,057
John Hunter Hospital School, New Lambton Heights Government Combined 3.0 km — —
Hunter Christian School, Mayfield Independent Combined 3.1 km 337 1,061
New Lambton Public School, New Lambton Government Primary 3.3 km 538 1,108
Callaghan College Wallsend Campus, Wallsend Government Secondary 3.4 km 890 952
Plattsburg Public School, Wallsend Government Primary 3.4 km 195 910
St Columban's Primary School, Mayfield Catholic Primary 3.4 km 162 1,034
Wallsend Public School, Wallsend Government Primary 3.5 km 252 965
St Therese's Primary School, New Lambton Catholic Primary 3.6 km 543 1,100
San Clemente Catholic College, Mayfield Catholic Secondary 3.6 km 605 1,038
St Dominic's Catholic College, Mayfield Catholic Combined 3.6 km 43 966
Hamilton North Public School, Broadmeadow Government Primary 3.7 km 123 1,030
St Laurence Flexible Learning Centre, Broadmeadow Catholic Secondary 3.8 km 47 869
Hunter School of Performing Arts, Broadmeadow Government Combined 3.9 km 1,094 1,085
St Patrick's Primary School, Wallsend Catholic Primary 3.9 km 323 1,076
Wallsend South Public School, Wallsend Government Primary 4.0 km 583 1,083
Mayfield East Public School, Mayfield East Government Primary 4.0 km 343 1,044
Islington Public School, Islington Government Primary 4.1 km 159 1,090
New Lambton South Public School, New Lambton Government Primary 4.2 km 462 1,095
Elermore Vale Public School, Wallsend Government Primary 4.3 km 290 996
Tighes Hill Public School, Tighes Hill Government Primary 4.5 km 358 1,104
Maryland Public School, Maryland Government Primary 4.7 km 368 996
Merewether High School, Broadmeadow Government Secondary 4.7 km 1,080 1,206
New Lambton Heights Infants School, New Lambton Heights Government Primary 4.7 km 55 1,100
Adamstown Public School, Adamstown Government Primary 4.8 km 439 1,078
Hamilton Public School, Hamilton Government Primary 4.8 km 306 1,106
Trinity Catholic College, Adamstown Catholic Secondary 4.8 km 849 1,090
St Columba's Primary School, Adamstown Catholic Primary 5.1 km 168 1,107
Kotara School, Kotara Government Combined 5.4 km 25 816
Glendore Public School, Maryland Government Primary 5.6 km 609 1,019
Newcastle Waldorf School, Glendale Independent Combined 5.7 km 237 1,072
Belair Public School, Adamstown Government Primary 5.7 km 409 1,103
St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton Catholic Secondary 5.8 km 959 1,096
Kotara High School, Adamstown Government Secondary 5.8 km 1,130 1,066
Kotara South Public School, Kotara Government Primary 5.8 km 309 1,069
Merewether Public School, Merewether Government Primary 5.9 km 139 950
Carrington Public School, Carrington Government Primary 5.9 km 110 996
St James' Primary School, Kotara South Catholic Primary 6.0 km 334 1,104
Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, Fletcher Independent Combined 6.1 km 860 1,085
Hamilton South Public School, Merewether Government Primary 6.2 km 362 1,139
Newcastle High School, Hamilton Government Secondary 6.4 km 1,072 1,027
Merewether Heights Public School, Merewether Heights Government Primary 6.5 km 269 1,129
Novoschool, Newcastle West Independent Secondary 6.7 km 79 1,077
St Joseph's Primary School, Merewether Catholic Primary 6.9 km 387 1,141
The Junction Public School, Merewether Government Primary 7.1 km 450 1,115
Stockton Public School, Stockton Government Primary 7.3 km 254 1,000
Holy Family Primary School, Merewether Beach Catholic Primary 7.5 km 198 1,132
St Peter's Primary School, Stockton Catholic Primary 7.6 km 180 1,053
Newcastle East Public School, Newcastle Government Primary 7.8 km 260 1,112
Newcastle Grammar School, The Hill Independent Combined 8.0 km 1,049 1,181
Minmi Public School, Minmi Government Primary 8.5 km 133 1,018

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 Newcastle [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED131/newcastle/topic/education