28.9% ▲ +29.7%
Lower than 99% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 22.3%
- 2016: 25.6%
- 2021: 28.9%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Broken Hill and Far West · Sub-region (SA3)
Education & Qualifications in Broken Hill and Far West
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
Only 28.9% of people in Broken Hill and Far West have finished Year 12, which is far below the national figure. This gap in schooling is mirrored in higher education, where the share of adults with a university degree is among the lowest in the country. While these numbers have risen since 2011, the area still faces significant educational challenges.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
Year 12 completion is far below the New South Wales rate of 58.9%, though it did rise 6.6 points since 2011. The most common highest year of school finished is Year 10, at 32.3%.
Highest year of school
View on map →Broken Hill and Far West splits fairly evenly between Year 10 (36%) and Year 12 (33%), with Year 9 or below at 22%.
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
The 10.3% of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is far below the Australian figure of 26.3%. Certificates III and IV are the most common qualifications, held by 37.8% of people.
10.3% ▲ +44.7%
Lower than 91% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 7.1%
- 2016: 8.2%
- 2021: 10.3%
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 Broken Hill and Far West, Certificate III / IV is the majority at 53%; Bachelor degree is next at 19%.
Field of study
What people studied.
Engineering and related fields are the most common area of study at 17.4%, followed by management, commerce, and health, which each sit at 12.0%.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
The region has 16 schools with an average size of 171 students, which is much lower than most areas. While the total number of schools is small, there are 4.68 schools per 1,000 children, which is much higher than most areas.
16
Lower than 74% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Number of schools in the area.
4.68
Higher than 86% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
2,742
Lower than 90% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
171
Lower than 88% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
893
Lower than 91% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).
Schools serving Broken Hill and Far West
16 schools — 2,742 students, average ICSEA 893.
By sector: Government 14 · Catholic 2
By type: Primary 11 · Combined 3 · Secondary 2
| Willyama High School, Broken Hill | Government | Secondary | — | 570 | 903 |
| Broken Hill High School, Broken Hill | Government | Secondary | — | 411 | 892 |
| Morgan Street Public School, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 290 | 960 |
| Alma Public School, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 255 | 875 |
| Broken Hill North Public School, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 206 | 864 |
| Burke Ward Public School, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 200 | 858 |
| Sacred Heart Parish School, Broken Hill | Catholic | Primary | — | 190 | 990 |
| Broken Hill Public School, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 162 | 881 |
| Railway Town Public School, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 124 | 868 |
| School of the Air, Broken Hill | Government | Primary | — | 120 | 985 |
| Menindee Central School, Menindee | Government | Combined | — | 74 | 760 |
| Wilcannia Central School, Wilcannia | Government | Combined | — | 65 | 673 |
| Ivanhoe Central School, Ivanhoe | Government | Combined | — | 29 | 747 |
| St Therese's Community Parish School, Wilcannia | Catholic | Primary | — | 25 | 740 |
| White Cliffs Public School, White Cliffs | Government | Primary | — | 17 | 873 |
| Tibooburra Outback Public School, Tibooburra | Government | Primary | — | 4 | — |
Sources
More for Broken Hill and Far West
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Broken Hill and Far West [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/10502/broken-hill-and-far-west/topic/education