Dapto - Port Kembla · Sub-region (SA3)

Education & Qualifications in Dapto - Port Kembla

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

Certificate III and IV qualifications are the most common achievement in Dapto - Port Kembla, where 39.1% of adults hold one. While the area has seen a steady rise in schooling and degrees over the last decade, it still sits far below the state and national figures for higher education.

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📍 Dapto - Port Kembla, Sub-region (SA3)

Where Dapto - Port Kembla sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

14.8% ▲ +65.9%
  • 0.0%–2.1%: 0 areas
  • 2.1%–4.3%: 1 area
  • 4.3%–6.4%: 0 areas
  • 6.4%–8.6%: 6 areas
  • 8.6%–10.7%: 29 areas
  • 10.7%–12.9%: 49 areas
  • 12.9%–15.0%: 34 areas
  • 15.0%–17.1%: 26 areas
  • 17.1%–19.3%: 31 areas
  • 19.3%–21.4%: 23 areas
  • 21.4%–23.6%: 18 areas
  • 23.6%–25.7%: 13 areas
  • 25.7%–27.9%: 11 areas
  • 27.9%–30.0%: 10 areas
  • 30.0%–32.1%: 11 areas
  • 32.1%–34.3%: 16 areas
  • 34.3%–36.4%: 5 areas
  • 36.4%–38.6%: 7 areas
  • 38.6%–40.7%: 8 areas
  • 40.7%–42.9%: 7 areas
  • 42.9%–45.0%: 10 areas
  • 45.0%–47.1%: 8 areas
  • 47.1%–49.3%: 6 areas
  • 49.3%–51.4%: 4 areas
  • 51.4%–53.6%: 8 areas
  • 53.6%–55.7%: 6 areas
  • 55.7%–57.9%: 3 areas
  • 57.9%–60.0%: 0 areas

All sub-region (sa3) areas, 2021. The marker is Dapto - Port Kembla — lower than 68% of areas.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher compared with the state and national average
Dapto - Port Kembla14.8%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Fewer people here finished high school compared to most areas, with 43.3% completing Year 12. This is far below the New South Wales figure of 58.9%, though it has risen 11 points since 2011.

43.3% ▲ +33.8%

Lower than 70% of sub-region (sa3) areas.

  • 2011: 32.4%
  • 2016: 37.1%
  • 2021: 43.3%

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

Highest year of school

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In Dapto - Port Kembla, the largest group is Year 12 at 46%, followed by Year 10 (32%) and Year 9 or below (16%).

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Only 14.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%. This rate has grown by 5.9 points since 2011.

14.8% ▲ +65.9%

Lower than 68% of sub-region (sa3) areas.

  • 2011: 8.9%
  • 2016: 11.3%
  • 2021: 14.8%

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 Dapto - Port Kembla, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 47%, followed by Bachelor degree (21%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (18%).

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of qualification are engineering and related subjects at 18.6%, followed by management and commerce at 17.3% and society and culture at 12.5%.

Schools

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

The area has 30 schools with a total of 10,974 enrolments, though the typical school is smaller and has a lower advantage score than those in most other similar areas.

981

Lower than 69% of sub-region (sa3) areas.

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

Schools in and around Dapto - Port Kembla — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Dapto - Port Kembla

30 schools — 10,974 students, average ICSEA 981.

By sector: Government 22 · Independent 4 · Catholic 4

By type: Primary 21 · Secondary 6 · Combined 3

Schools serving Dapto - Port Kembla, sortable by name, sector, type, distance and student count
Dapto High School, Dapto Government Secondary — 988 968
Illawarra Sports High School, Berkeley Government Secondary — 926 937
Illawarra Christian School, Cordeaux Heights Independent Combined — 800 1,091
Dapto Public School, Horsley Government Primary — 790 1,006
Cedars Christian College, Unanderra Independent Combined — 661 1,067
St John's Catholic Primary School, Dapto Catholic Primary — 623 1,038
Hayes Park Public School, Kanahooka Government Primary — 601 972
Warrawong High School, Warrawong Government Secondary — 591 905
Kanahooka High School, Kanahooka Government Secondary — 581 912
St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Unanderra Catholic Primary — 371 1,066
Lakelands Public School, Dapto Government Primary — 370 952
Unanderra Public School, Cordeaux Heights Government Primary — 348 992
Mount Brown Public School, Dapto Government Primary — 346 975
Five Islands Secondary College, Port Kembla Government Secondary — 293 983
Port Kembla Public School, Port Kembla Government Primary — 278 1,014
Warrawong Public School, Warrawong Government Primary — 276 891
Berkeley Public School, Berkeley Government Primary — 259 926
Farmborough Road Public School, Unanderra Government Primary — 226 961
Windang Public School, Windang Government Primary — 203 988
Koonawarra Public School, Dapto Government Primary — 192 838
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Port Kembla Catholic Primary — 177 1,058
Cringila Public School, Cringila Government Primary — 163 936
Mount Kembla Public School, Mount Kembla Government Primary — 159 1,050
Berkeley West Public School, Berkeley Government Primary — 157 868
Kemblawarra Public School, Port Kembla Government Primary — 153 892
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Warrawong Catholic Primary — 149 1,013
Lake Heights Public School, Lake Heights Government Primary — 147 941
Primbee Public School, Primbee Government Primary — 88 943
Craig Davis College, Cordeaux Heights Independent Secondary — 45 825
Cedars Christian College - Aspire, Unanderra Independent Combined — 13 1,094

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 Dapto - Port Kembla

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Dapto - Port Kembla [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/10701/dapto-port-kembla/topic/education