CensusAtlas

Bendigo · Federal Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Bendigo

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

A 9.1 point drop in Year 12 completion since 2011 highlights a shifting educational landscape in Bendigo. Fewer people are finishing high school and university degrees compared to the state and national figures. This trend is seen in the 49.2% of residents who finished Year 12, a figure well below the Australian average.

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📍 Bendigo, Federal Electorate

Where Bendigo sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

21.5% —

All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Bendigo — lower than 51% of areas.

Bendigo21.5%
Rest of Vic. 18.2%
Victoria 29.2%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is far below the Victorian average of 61.8%, with only 49.2% of residents reaching this milestone. For those who didn't finish Year 12, the most common highest year of school reached was Year 10 at 17.4%.

Completed Year 12

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49.2% ▼ -15.5%

Lower than 65% 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 Bendigo, Year 12 is the majority at 53%; Year 10 is next at 19%.

Year 12 49.2% Year 10 17.4% Year 11 13.8% Year 9 or below 12.0%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 21.5% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 26.3%. This represents a significant fall of 12 points since 2016. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 30.8% of residents.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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21.5% —

Lower than 51% 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 Bendigo, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 37%, followed by Bachelor degree (27%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (18%).

Certificate III / IV 30.8% Bachelor degree 22.5% Advanced diploma / diploma 15.1% Postgraduate degree 7.0% Graduate diploma / certificate 5.4% Certificate I / II 2.0%

Field of study

What people studied.

Qualifications in Bendigo are spread across several fields, with Health being the most common at 13.5%. Society and culture and management and commerce follow closely, each accounting for 13.0% of qualifications.

Schools

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

Bendigo has a high density of schools, with 2.59 schools per 1,000 children and 71 schools within 3km. Most of these are government primary schools, though the typical school size of 349 students is much lower than in most similar areas.

Schools within 3 km

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71

Higher than 73% 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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1,022

Lower than 53% 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 Bendigo — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Bendigo

71 schools — 24,784 students, average ICSEA 1,022.

By sector: Government 51 · Catholic 16 · Independent 4

By type: Primary 54 · Secondary 10 · Combined 7
Eppalock Primary School, Axe Creek Government Primary 6.3 km 49 1,043
Strathfieldsaye Primary School, Strathfieldsaye Government Primary 9.1 km 538 1,038
St Francis of the Fields School, Strathfieldsaye Catholic Primary 9.2 km 614 1,093
Big Hill Primary School, Big Hill Government Primary 10.9 km 221 980
Spring Gully Primary School, Bendigo Government Primary 11.5 km 426 1,056
Victory Christian College, Strathdale Independent Combined 11.7 km 900 1,077
Bendigo South East 7-10 Secondary College, Bendigo Government Secondary 12.8 km 1,030 1,016
St Monica's School, Kangaroo Flat Catholic Primary 13.4 km 284 1,032
Kennington Primary School, Kennington Government Primary 13.4 km 581 979
Quarry Hill Primary School, Quarry Hill Government Primary 13.5 km 324 1,037
Bendigo Special Developmental School, Kangaroo Flat Government Combined 13.5 km 167 940
St Therese's School, Kennington Catholic Primary 13.8 km 460 1,076
St Joseph's School, Quarry Hill Catholic Primary 14.1 km 234 1,064
Crusoe 7-10 Secondary College, Kangaroo Flat Government Secondary 14.3 km 925 966
Kangaroo Flat Primary School, Kangaroo Flat Government Primary 14.5 km 313 908
Creek Street Christian College, Bendigo Independent Combined 14.8 km 457 1,063
Golden Square Primary School, Golden Square Government Primary 14.9 km 262 967
Girton Grammar School, Bendigo Independent Combined 15.0 km 1,195 1,148
Harcourt Valley Primary School, Harcourt Government Primary 15.1 km 73 1,015
DOXA School Bendigo, Bendigo Catholic Secondary 15.3 km 47 961
St Kilian's School, Bendigo Catholic Primary 15.5 km 268 1,059
Camp Hill Primary School, Bendigo Government Primary 15.5 km 251 1,040
Bendigo Senior Secondary College, Bendigo Government Secondary 15.5 km 1,918 1,003
Bendigo Primary School, Bendigo Government Primary 15.8 km 196 1,005
Catherine McAuley College, Bendigo Catholic Secondary 15.9 km 1,567 1,055
Specimen Hill Primary School, Golden Square Government Primary 16.1 km 234 934
Weeroona College Bendigo, Bendigo Government Secondary 16.8 km 812 940
St Peter's School, North Bendigo Catholic Primary 16.9 km 132 979
Lockwood South Primary School, Lockwood South Government Primary 17.2 km 38 1,020
Kalianna School, Bendigo Government Combined 17.4 km 221 895
Lightning Reef Primary School, Bendigo Government Primary 17.8 km 165 858
White Hills Primary School, White Hills Government Primary 17.9 km 586 977
Axedale Primary School, Axedale Government Primary 18.0 km 101 1,018
Holy Rosary School, White Hills Catholic Primary 18.1 km 295 1,052
Lockwood Primary School, Lockwood Government Primary 18.5 km 99 989
California Gully Primary School, California Gully Government Primary 18.8 km 181 913
St Liborius' School, Eaglehawk Catholic Primary 19.6 km 258 1,018
Maiden Gully Primary School, Maiden Gully Government Primary 19.6 km 551 1,009
Eaglehawk Secondary College, Eaglehawk Government Secondary 19.7 km 561 922
Eaglehawk Primary School, Eaglehawk Government Primary 19.9 km 159 869
Marist College Bendigo, Maiden Gully Catholic Combined 20.2 km 1,203 1,040
Epsom Primary School, Epsom Government Primary 20.2 km 425 967
Eaglehawk North Primary School, Eaglehawk Government Primary 22.0 km 269 958
Castlemaine North Primary School, Castlemaine Government Primary 22.1 km 278 1,117
Redesdale Mia Mia Primary School, Redesdale Government Primary 22.4 km 12 981
St Mary's School, Castlemaine Catholic Primary 22.5 km 64 1,033
Castlemaine Primary School, Castlemaine Government Primary 22.8 km 178 1,054
Chewton Primary School, Chewton Government Primary 23.0 km 54 1,119
Winters Flat Primary School, Castlemaine Government Primary 23.8 km 115 1,078
Castlemaine Secondary College, Castlemaine Government Secondary 24.1 km 695 1,040
Elphinstone Primary School, Elphinstone Government Primary 24.4 km 29 1,036
Marong Primary School, Marong Government Primary 24.8 km 235 994
Huntly Primary School, Huntly Government Primary 24.8 km 324 975
Campbells Creek Primary School, Campbells Creek Government Primary 26.1 km 174 1,011
Castlemaine Steiner School & Kindergarten, Muckleford Independent Combined 27.3 km 135 1,105
Maldon Primary School, Maldon Government Primary 27.4 km 90 1,034
Taradale Primary School, Taradale Government Primary 28.4 km 74 1,075
Holy Rosary School, Heathcote Catholic Primary 32.1 km 82 1,004
Heathcote Primary School, Heathcote Government Primary 32.7 km 150 961
Goornong Primary School, Goornong Government Primary 33.2 km 46 995
Malmsbury Primary School, Malmsbury Government Primary 33.8 km 69 1,074
Langley Primary School, Langley Government Primary 34.4 km 2 —
Newstead Primary School, Newstead Government Primary 34.6 km 82 1,041
Raywood Primary School, Raywood Government Primary 40.4 km 17 945
Kyneton Primary School, Kyneton Government Primary 41.8 km 307 1,048
Kyneton High School, Kyneton Government Secondary 42.0 km 627 1,008
Our Lady of the Rosary, Kyneton Catholic Primary 42.0 km 286 1,081
Sacred Heart College, Kyneton Catholic Secondary 42.1 km 888 1,070
Tylden Primary School, Tylden Government Primary 49.2 km 125 1,078
Elmore Primary School, Elmore Government Primary 49.3 km 30 959
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Primary, Elmore Catholic Primary 50.0 km 26 1,010

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 Bendigo [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED203/bendigo/topic/education