CensusAtlas

Wide Bay · Federal Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Wide Bay

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

Far fewer people in Wide Bay have completed high school or university than the national average. Only 44.4% of residents finished Year 12, which is far below the Australian figure of 58.8%. While qualification levels have risen since 2011, the area still trails behind most other regions in formal education.

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📍 Wide Bay, Federal Electorate

Where Wide Bay sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

14.5% —

All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Wide Bay — lower than 79% of areas.

Wide Bay14.5%
Rest of Qld 17.1%
Queensland 21.9%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is much lower than most areas at 44.4%, though this has risen 7.7 points since 2011. Outside of those who finished high school, 28.5% of people stopped at Year 10, while 11.2% left at Year 9 or below.

Completed Year 12

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44.4% ▲ +20.8%

Lower than 74% 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 Wide Bay, the largest group is Year 12 at 48%, followed by Year 10 (31%) and Year 9 or below (12%).

Year 12 44.4% Year 10 28.5% Year 9 or below 11.2% Year 11 7.8%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

University degrees are uncommon here, with only 14.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is well below the Queensland figure of 21.9%, though the number of graduates rose slightly since 2016. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 36.2% of residents.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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14.5% —

Lower than 79% 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 Wide Bay, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 46%, followed by Bachelor degree (22%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (20%).

Certificate III / IV 36.2% Bachelor degree 17.6% Advanced diploma / diploma 15.5% Postgraduate degree 4.1% Graduate diploma / certificate 2.9% Certificate I / II 2.8%

Field of study

What people studied.

Qualifications in Wide Bay are most often in Engineering and related fields at 15.2%, followed closely by Management and commerce at 14.8%. Other common fields include Society and culture at 11.3% and Health at 10.0%.

Schools

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

There are 3.19 schools per 1,000 children, which is much higher than most areas, though typical schools are much smaller than average. Most students attend government schools (77.6%), and the majority of campuses are primary schools.

Schools within 3 km

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76

Higher than 77% 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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993

Lower than 73% 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 Wide Bay — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Wide Bay

76 schools — 23,081 students, average ICSEA 993.

By sector: Government 59 · Catholic 9 · Independent 8

By type: Primary 51 · Combined 13 · Secondary 12
Mungar State School, Mungar Government Primary 7.1 km 55 923
Tiaro State School, Tiaro Government Primary 9.9 km 45 924
Parke State School, Tinana South Government Primary 14.6 km 56 970
Tinana State School, Tinana Government Primary 16.2 km 452 961
Riverside Christian College, Maryborough Independent Combined 19.1 km 1,329 1,004
Sunbury State School, Maryborough Government Primary 19.4 km 210 900
St Mary's College, Maryborough Catholic Secondary 19.6 km 313 1,010
Albert State School, Maryborough Government Primary 19.9 km 126 899
Bauple State School, Bauple Government Primary 20.1 km 40 924
Maryborough State High School, Maryborough Government Secondary 20.2 km 1,214 952
Maryborough Central State School, Maryborough Government Primary 20.3 km 157 863
St Mary's Primary School, Maryborough Catholic Primary 20.7 km 359 1,005
Maryborough West State School, Maryborough Government Primary 20.8 km 269 918
Aldridge State High School, Maryborough Government Secondary 20.8 km 581 932
Maryborough Special School, Maryborough Government Combined 21.3 km 75 946
Granville State School, Granville Government Primary 21.3 km 212 902
Gundiah State School, Gundiah Government Primary 21.7 km 11 916
St Helens State School, St Helens Government Primary 23.5 km 305 951
Brooweena State School, Brooweena Government Primary 28.4 km 17 915
Theebine State School, Theebine Government Primary 33.9 km 9 —
Glenwood State School, Glenwood Government Primary 34.3 km 85 928
Gunalda State School, Gunalda Government Primary 38.4 km 41 956
Woolooga State School, Woolooga Government Primary 46.8 km 14 875
Kia-Ora State School, Kia Ora Government Primary 48.6 km 43 885
Tin Can Bay State School, Tin Can Bay Government Combined 55.1 km 294 918
Chatsworth State School, Chatsworth Government Primary 55.6 km 221 938
Kilkivan State School, Kilkivan Government Combined 57.3 km 112 934
Victory College, Gympie Independent Combined 58.6 km 851 1,026
Two Mile State School, Two Mile Government Primary 59.1 km 92 913
Gympie West State School, Gympie Government Primary 59.8 km 384 948
James Nash State High School, Gympie Government Secondary 59.9 km 1,027 976
Rainbow Beach State School, Rainbow Beach Government Primary 61.3 km 47 987
Gympie Central State School, Gympie Government Primary 61.5 km 138 931
Gympie Flexible School, Gympie Catholic Secondary 61.6 km 103 880
Gympie Special School, Gympie Government Combined 61.7 km 88 962
Gympie State High School, Gympie Government Secondary 61.8 km 1,012 955
St Patrick's College, Gympie Catholic Secondary 61.9 km 514 1,037
St Patrick's Primary School, Gympie Catholic Primary 61.9 km 346 1,039
Cooloola Christian College, Gympie Independent Combined 62.1 km 537 1,013
Gympie East State School, Greens Creek Government Primary 62.3 km 174 979
Gympie South State School, Southside Government Primary 62.3 km 518 955
Wolvi State School, Wolvi Government Primary 62.4 km 19 952
Widgee State School, Widgee Government Primary 62.6 km 36 987
One Mile State School, Gympie Government Primary 62.9 km 316 925
Monkland State School, Monkland Government Primary 64.7 km 128 922
Jones Hill State School, Jones Hill Government Primary 66.0 km 482 990
Mawarra Independent School, Kybong Independent Combined 70.2 km 44 1,033
Goomeri State School, Goomeri Government Combined 75.9 km 155 896
Kin Kin State School, Kin Kin Government Primary 76.1 km 51 1,003
Dagun State School, Dagun Government Primary 76.3 km 50 1,005
Amamoor State School, Amamoor Government Primary 78.9 km 55 990
Cooran State School, Cooran Government Primary 82.2 km 139 1,014
Kandanga State School, Kandanga Government Primary 83.5 km 32 997
Windera State School, Windera Government Primary 84.2 km 21 913
Cloyna State School, Cloyna Government Primary 86.2 km 9 997
Pomona State School, Pomona Government Primary 86.3 km 272 1,023
Federal State School, Federal Government Primary 86.7 km 55 981
Murgon State High School, Murgon Government Secondary 88.5 km 318 818
St Joseph's School, Murgon Catholic Primary 88.6 km 105 800
Murgon State School, Murgon Government Primary 88.9 km 108 865
Moffatdale State School, Moffatdale Government Primary 90.3 km 72 923
Mary Valley State College, Imbil Government Combined 91.6 km 172 956
Cherbourg State School, Cherbourg Government Primary 92.6 km 174 626
Cooroy State School, Cooroy Government Primary 93.0 km 336 1,006
Noosa District State High School, Cooroy Government Secondary 94.0 km 882 1,012
Noosa Christian College, Cooroy Independent Combined 94.1 km 478 1,060
Tewantin State School, Tewantin Government Primary 96.2 km 560 1,018
St Teresa's Catholic College, Noosaville Catholic Secondary 97.7 km 801 1,066
Noosaville State School, Noosaville Government Primary 97.8 km 418 1,039
Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Noosaville Independent Combined 98.8 km 1,121 1,117
Montessori Noosa, Sunshine Beach Independent Primary 101.0 km 58 1,057
Sunshine Beach State School, Sunshine Beach Government Primary 101.1 km 706 1,083
Noosa Flexible School, Sunshine Beach Catholic Secondary 101.1 km 102 958
St Thomas More Primary School, Sunshine Beach Catholic Primary 101.3 km 578 1,086
Sunshine Beach State High School, Sunshine Beach Government Secondary 101.7 km 1,405 1,043
Peregian Beach College, Peregian Beach Independent Combined 106.6 km 347 1,069

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 Wide Bay [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED329/wide-bay/topic/education