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Gold Coast · Council (LGA)

Education & Qualifications in Gold Coast

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

Much higher levels of schooling and degrees than most similar areas define the Gold Coast. While 59.3% of people have finished Year 12, the area also sees a growing number of university-educated adults, with bachelor degrees or higher rising to 21.8% since 2011.

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📍 Gold Coast, Council (LGA)

Where Gold Coast sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

21.8% ▲ +52.1%

All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Gold Coast — higher than 76% of areas.

Gold Coast21.8%
Rest of Qld 17.1%
Queensland 21.9%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion has risen 10 points since 2011 to reach 59.3%, which is a little above the Queensland figure and about the same as the national average.

Completed Year 12

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59.3% ▲ +20.7%

Higher than 82% of council (lga) areas.

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

Highest year of school

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In Gold Coast, Year 12 is the majority at 64%; Year 10 is next at 21%.

Year 12 59.3% Year 10 19.6% Year 11 7.3% Year 9 or below 6.5%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

The proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is much higher than most similar areas at 21.8%, though this remains well below the Australian figure of 26.3%.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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21.8% ▲ +52.1%

Higher than 76% of council (lga) 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 Gold Coast, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 35%, followed by Bachelor degree (29%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (21%).

Certificate III / IV 29.2% Bachelor degree 23.5% Advanced diploma / diploma 17.6% Postgraduate degree 7.1% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.1% Certificate I / II 1.8%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of study for residents are management and commerce at 20.3%, followed by engineering and related fields at 11.9% and society and culture at 11.5%.

Schools

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

The Gold Coast has some of the largest schools and highest enrolments in the region, with 110 schools overall and a school advantage score much higher than most areas.

Average school ICSEA

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1,047

Higher than 81% 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 Gold Coast — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Gold Coast

110 schools — 100,539 students, average ICSEA 1,047.

By sector: Government 71 · Independent 23 · Catholic 16

By type: Primary 60 · Combined 27 · Secondary 23
King's Christian College, Reedy Creek Independent Combined — 5,166 1,074
Varsity College, Varsity Lakes Government Combined — 3,304 1,065
Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School, Palm Beach Government Secondary — 2,819 1,022
Southport State High School, Southport Government Secondary — 2,231 1,031
Pacific Pines State High School, Pacific Pines Government Secondary — 2,193 1,009
Benowa State High School, Benowa Government Secondary — 2,129 1,064
Hillcrest Christian College, Reedy Creek Independent Combined — 2,055 1,104
Helensvale State High School, Helensvale Government Secondary — 1,875 1,017
All Saints Anglican School, Merrimac Independent Combined — 1,828 1,137
Emmanuel College, Carrara Independent Combined — 1,686 1,139
Upper Coomera State College, Upper Coomera Government Combined — 1,682 964
A B Paterson College, Arundel Independent Combined — 1,652 1,123
The Southport School, Southport Independent Combined — 1,621 1,118
Somerset College, Mudgeeraba Independent Combined — 1,612 1,157
Coomera Anglican College, Upper Coomera Independent Combined — 1,595 1,084
Miami State High School, Miami Government Secondary — 1,542 1,032
Robina State High School, Robina Government Secondary — 1,530 1,026
Assisi Catholic College, Upper Coomera Catholic Combined — 1,516 1,055
Ormeau Woods State High School, Ormeau Government Secondary — 1,404 996
St Andrews Lutheran College, Tallebudgera Independent Combined — 1,377 1,104
Trinity Lutheran College, Ashmore Independent Combined — 1,322 1,086
Saint Stephen's College, Coomera Independent Combined — 1,315 1,109
St Joseph's College, Coomera Catholic Combined — 1,299 1,039
Marymount College, Burleigh Waters Catholic Secondary — 1,262 1,073
St Hilda's School, Southport Independent Combined — 1,258 1,135
Livingstone Christian College, Ormeau Independent Combined — 1,222 1,043
Pimpama State Secondary College, Pimpama Government Secondary — 1,222 966
Broadbeach State School, Broadbeach Government Primary — 1,204 1,082
Currumbin State School, Currumbin Government Primary — 1,144 1,017
Foxwell State Secondary College, Coomera Government Secondary — 1,123 997
Coombabah State High School, Coombabah Government Secondary — 1,113 977
Caningeraba State School, Burleigh Waters Government Primary — 1,068 1,042
Marymount Primary School, Burleigh Waters Catholic Primary — 1,020 1,085
Keebra Park State High School, Southport Government Secondary — 1,001 968
Nerang State High School, Nerang Government Secondary — 998 970
Rivermount College, Yatala Independent Combined — 982 1,046
Elanora State High School, Elanora Government Secondary — 949 1,023
Merrimac State High School, Mermaid Waters Government Secondary — 930 1,029
Arundel State School, Arundel Government Primary — 925 1,035
Elanora State School, Elanora Government Primary — 924 1,061
Park Lake State School, Pacific Pines Government Primary — 901 1,032
Highland Reserve State School, Upper Coomera Government Primary — 899 1,026
Ormeau State School, Pimpama Government Primary — 897 998
Benowa State School, Benowa Government Primary — 894 1,089
Palm Beach State School, Palm Beach Government Primary — 894 1,059
Clover Hill State School, Mudgeeraba Government Primary — 888 1,054
Picnic Creek State School, Coomera Government Primary — 886 996
Helensvale State School, Helensvale Government Primary — 871 1,015
Gainsborough State School, Pimpama Government Primary — 849 1,003
Miami State School, Mermaid Waters Government Primary — 835 1,053
St Michael's College, Merrimac Catholic Secondary — 820 1,048
Coomera Rivers State School, Coomera Government Primary — 819 1,001
Guardian Angels' Catholic Primary School, Ashmore Catholic Primary — 815 1,074
Aquinas College, Ashmore Catholic Secondary — 805 1,058
Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School, Pimpama Independent Combined — 794 1,056
St Vincent's Primary School, Clear Island Waters Catholic Primary — 794 1,091
Pimpama State School, Pimpama Government Primary — 792 993
Silkwood School, Mount Nathan Independent Combined — 765 1,073
Pacific Pines State School, Pacific Pines Government Primary — 759 1,016
Tallebudgera State School, Tallebudgera Government Primary — 751 1,074
Pimpama State Primary College, Pimpama Government Primary — 747 972
Ashmore State School, Ashmore Government Primary — 745 1,040
Coombabah State School, Coombabah Government Primary — 730 1,009
Bellevue Park State School, Ashmore Government Primary — 729 1,059
Jubilee Primary School, Pacific Pines Catholic Primary — 720 1,058
Arcadia College, Robina Independent Secondary — 715 992
Biggera Waters State School, Biggera Waters Government Primary — 713 1,030
Robina State School, Robina Government Primary — 698 1,055
Labrador State School, Labrador Government Primary — 670 997
St Francis Xavier School, Runaway Bay Catholic Primary — 665 1,076
Coomera Springs State School, Upper Coomera Government Primary — 654 999
Musgrave Hill State School, Southport Government Primary — 636 1,028
Norfolk Village State School, Ormeau Government Primary — 625 1,005
Mudgeeraba Creek State School, Mudgeeraba Government Primary — 613 1,041
Merrimac State School, Merrimac Government Primary — 600 1,020
Surfers Paradise State School, Surfers Paradise Government Primary — 598 1,035
Mudgeeraba State School, Mudgeeraba Government Primary — 584 1,016
William Duncan State School, Highland Park Government Primary — 580 975
Southport State School, Southport Government Primary — 538 1,012
Oxenford State School, Oxenford Government Primary — 520 993
Worongary State School, Worongary Government Primary — 508 994
Gilston State School, Gilston Government Primary — 484 1,026
St Augustine's Parish Primary School, Currumbin Waters Catholic Primary — 482 1,086
Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, Southport Government Secondary — 468 1,109
Gaven State School, Oxenford Government Primary — 463 987
Burleigh Heads State School, Burleigh Heads Government Primary — 458 1,048
St Kevin's School, Benowa Catholic Primary — 427 1,072
Coomera State School, Coomera Government Primary — 368 1,004
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School, Nerang Catholic Primary — 338 1,036
The Industry School - Gold Coast, Robina Independent Secondary — 315 1,040
Coolangatta State School, Coolangatta Government Primary — 285 989
Coomera State Special School, Coomera Government Combined — 278 1,005
Cedar Creek State School, Cedar Creek Government Primary — 250 966
Nerang State School, Nerang Government Primary — 244 979
Men of Business Academy, Southport Independent Secondary — 238 993
Gold Coast Christian College, Reedy Creek Independent Combined — 237 1,066
Woongoolba State School, Woongoolba Government Primary — 237 973
Star of the Sea School, Merrimac Catholic Primary — 236 1,045
Mother Teresa Primary School, Ormeau Catholic Primary — 213 1,031
Southport Special School, Southport Government Combined — 212 1,027
Mudgeeraba Special School, Mudgeeraba Government Combined — 167 1,030
Currumbin Valley State School, Currumbin Valley Government Primary — 136 1,078
Toogoolawa School, Ormeau Independent Combined — 116 955
Josiah College, Carrara Independent Combined — 102 1,084
Currumbin Community Special School, Currumbin Waters Government Combined — 95 1,003
Southport Flexible School, Southport Catholic Secondary — 90 935
The Village School Gold Coast, Coolangatta Independent Primary — 88 1,047
Ingleside State School, Tallebudgera Valley Government Primary — 60 1,065
Springbrook State School, Springbrook Government Primary — 29 1,086
Numinbah Valley State School, Numinbah Valley Government Primary — 9 972

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 Gold Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA33430/gold-coast/topic/education