40.6% ▲ +29.3%
Lower than 54% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 31.4%
- 2016: 34.8%
- 2021: 40.6%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Shoalhaven · Council (LGA)
Education & Qualifications in Shoalhaven
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
A rise in high school and university completions since 2011 defines the educational shift in Shoalhaven. While more people are finishing their studies, the 40.6% who completed Year 12 still sits far below the national figure. This growth shows a steady climb toward higher qualification levels across the region.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
Only 40.6% of residents finished Year 12, which is far below the 58.9% seen across New South Wales. This is an improvement from 2011, when the figure was 31.4%.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Shoalhaven, the largest group is Year 12 at 44%, followed by Year 10 (34%) and Year 9 or below (15%).
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
The proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose to 15.8% since 2011, though this remains far below the Australian average of 26.3%. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 36.5% of residents.
15.8% ▲ +54.6%
Higher than 64% of council (lga) areas.
- 2011: 10.2%
- 2016: 12.1%
- 2021: 15.8%
Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).
Highest qualification level
View on map →In Shoalhaven, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 46%, followed by Bachelor degree (22%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (19%).
Field of study
What people studied.
Qualifications are spread across several fields, with Engineering (15.7%) and Management and Commerce (15.5%) being the most common choices. Other typical fields include Society and Culture at 11.2% and Health at 10%.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
Shoalhaven has 37 schools with a total of 14,284 enrolments, which is more than 83% of similar areas. Most students attend government schools (81.1%), although the region has much lower school density per child than most areas.
37
Higher than 86% of council (lga) areas.
Number of schools in the area.
2.13
Lower than 76% of council (lga) areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
14,284
Higher than 83% of council (lga) areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
386
Higher than 72% of council (lga) areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
976
Higher than 53% of council (lga) areas.
Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).
Schools serving Shoalhaven
37 schools — 14,284 students, average ICSEA 976.
By sector: Government 30 · Independent 4 · Catholic 3
By type: Primary 25 · Secondary 7 · Combined 5
| Ulladulla High School, Ulladulla | Government | Secondary | — | 1,159 | 993 |
| Nowra Anglican College, Bomaderry | Independent | Combined | — | 1,152 | 1,094 |
| St John the Evangelist Catholic High School, Nowra | Catholic | Secondary | — | 935 | 1,028 |
| Vincentia High School, Vincentia | Government | Secondary | — | 927 | 933 |
| Milton Public School, Milton | Government | Primary | — | 823 | 1,024 |
| Nowra High School, Nowra | Government | Secondary | — | 777 | 944 |
| Bomaderry High School, Bomaderry | Government | Secondary | — | 707 | 955 |
| Ulladulla Public School, Ulladulla | Government | Primary | — | 689 | 978 |
| Shoalhaven High School, Nowra | Government | Secondary | — | 610 | 862 |
| Nowra Christian School, Nowra | Independent | Combined | — | 572 | 1,033 |
| St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Nowra | Catholic | Primary | — | 537 | 994 |
| Nowra Public School, Nowra | Government | Primary | — | 517 | 904 |
| Illaroo Road Public School, North Nowra | Government | Primary | — | 451 | 992 |
| Nowra East Public School, Nowra East | Government | Primary | — | 420 | 784 |
| Sanctuary Point Public School, Sanctuary Point | Government | Primary | — | 408 | 909 |
| Bomaderry Public School, Bomaderry | Government | Primary | — | 406 | 908 |
| St Georges Basin Public School, Basin View | Government | Primary | — | 365 | 959 |
| Berry Public School, Berry | Government | Primary | — | 268 | 1,067 |
| Sussex Inlet Public School, Sussex Inlet | Government | Primary | — | 255 | 956 |
| Vincentia Public School, Vincentia | Government | Primary | — | 251 | 1,012 |
| North Nowra Public School, North Nowra | Government | Primary | — | 223 | 908 |
| Culburra Public School, Culburra Beach | Government | Primary | — | 219 | 952 |
| Cambewarra Public School, Cambewarra | Government | Primary | — | 216 | 1,029 |
| Shoalhaven Heads Public School, Shoalhaven Heads | Government | Primary | — | 180 | 1,021 |
| Huskisson Public School, Huskisson | Government | Primary | — | 163 | 1,004 |
| Callala Public School, Callala Bay | Government | Primary | — | 151 | 971 |
| Nowra Hill Public School, Nowra | Government | Primary | — | 131 | 986 |
| St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Milton | Catholic | Primary | — | 125 | 1,044 |
| Tomerong Public School, Tomerong | Government | Primary | — | 116 | 973 |
| Greenwell Point Public School, Greenwell Point | Government | Primary | — | 106 | 943 |
| Terara Public School, Terara | Government | Primary | — | 96 | 1,009 |
| Kangaroo Valley Public School, Kangaroo Valley | Government | Primary | — | 83 | 1,073 |
| Havenlee School, North Nowra | Government | Combined | — | 67 | 849 |
| Falls Creek Public School, Falls Creek | Government | Primary | — | 59 | 921 |
| Shoalhaven River College, Bomaderry | Independent | Secondary | — | 48 | 931 |
| Budawang School, Milton | Government | Combined | — | 44 | 909 |
| William Campbell College, Nowra Hill | Independent | Combined | — | 28 | 881 |
Sources
More for Shoalhaven
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Shoalhaven [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA16950/shoalhaven/topic/education