Willoughby · Council (LGA)

Education & Qualifications in Willoughby

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

A gap of 27 percentage points separates Willoughby from the national figure for higher education, with over half of adults holding a degree. This is a highly qualified area where school completion and university degrees are far more common than in most of Australia.

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📍 Willoughby, Council (LGA)

Where Willoughby sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

53.1% ▲ +21.2%
  • 0.0%–2.1%: 3 areas
  • 2.1%–4.3%: 11 areas
  • 4.3%–6.4%: 18 areas
  • 6.4%–8.6%: 44 areas
  • 8.6%–10.7%: 94 areas
  • 10.7%–12.9%: 111 areas
  • 12.9%–15.0%: 65 areas
  • 15.0%–17.1%: 38 areas
  • 17.1%–19.3%: 31 areas
  • 19.3%–21.4%: 21 areas
  • 21.4%–23.6%: 20 areas
  • 23.6%–25.7%: 5 areas
  • 25.7%–27.9%: 11 areas
  • 27.9%–30.0%: 8 areas
  • 30.0%–32.1%: 5 areas
  • 32.1%–34.3%: 13 areas
  • 34.3%–36.4%: 1 area
  • 36.4%–38.6%: 9 areas
  • 38.6%–40.7%: 5 areas
  • 40.7%–42.9%: 5 areas
  • 42.9%–45.0%: 11 areas
  • 45.0%–47.1%: 6 areas
  • 47.1%–49.3%: 6 areas
  • 49.3%–51.4%: 1 area
  • 51.4%–53.6%: 7 areas
  • 53.6%–55.7%: 6 areas
  • 55.7%–57.9%: 3 areas
  • 57.9%–60.0%: 1 area

All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Willoughby — higher than 99% of areas.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher compared with the state and national average
Willoughby53.1%
Greater Sydney 33.3%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is far above the New South Wales figure, reaching 83.5% and rising 6.5 points since 2011. This is among the highest levels of school completion across similar areas.

83.5% ▲ +8.5%

Higher than 99% of council (lga) areas.

  • 2011: 76.9%
  • 2016: 80.1%
  • 2021: 83.5%

Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.

Highest year of school

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In Willoughby, Year 12 is the majority at 87%; Year 10 is next at 6%.

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

The typical resident is very well qualified, as 53.1% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher. This figure is far above the national average and has climbed 9.3 points over the last decade.

53.1% ▲ +21.2%

Higher than 99% of council (lga) areas.

  • 2011: 43.8%
  • 2016: 47.8%
  • 2021: 53.1%

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 Willoughby, the largest group is Bachelor degree at 49%, followed by Postgraduate degree (25%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (14%).

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of study are management and commerce at 31.9%, followed by society and culture at 14.1% and engineering at 9.1%.

Schools

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

Willoughby has 18 schools with a total of 11,103 enrolments, which is larger than about 80% of similar areas. While school sizes and advantage scores are among the highest, the number of schools per 1,000 children is among the lowest.

1,146

Higher than 98% of council (lga) areas.

Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).

Schools in and around Willoughby — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Willoughby

18 schools — 11,103 students, average ICSEA 1,146.

By sector: Government 11 · Catholic 4 · Independent 3

By type: Primary 10 · Secondary 5 · Combined 3

Schools serving Willoughby, sortable by name, sector, type, distance and student count
Chatswood High School, Chatswood Government Secondary 2,147 1,137
St Pius X College, Chatswood Independent Combined 1,183 1,144
Chatswood Public School, Chatswood Government Primary 1,083 1,143
Artarmon Public School, Artarmon Government Primary 1,063 1,167
Willoughby Girls High School, Willoughby Government Secondary 1,036 1,152
Willoughby Public School, Willoughby Government Primary 905 1,143
Mercy Catholic College, Chatswood Catholic Secondary 728 1,134
Mowbray Public School, Lane Cove Government Primary 714 1,143
Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School, Middle Cove Independent Combined 405 1,148
Northbridge Public School, Northbridge Government Primary 364 1,181
Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School, Chatswood Catholic Primary 355 1,144
Bradfield College, St Leonards Government Secondary 322 1,108
St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Willoughby Catholic Primary 277 1,161
Castle Cove Public School, Castle Cove Government Primary 273 1,167
International Chinese School, St Leonards Independent Primary 116 1,172
St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School, Northbridge Catholic Primary 102 1,170
Naremburn School, Naremburn Government Secondary 30 1,075
Royal North Shore Hospital School, St Leonards Government Combined

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).

More for Willoughby

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Willoughby [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA18250/willoughby/topic/education