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Newcastle · Sub-region (SA3)

Education & Qualifications in Newcastle

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

More than a quarter of adults in Newcastle hold a bachelor degree or higher, a figure that has climbed 8.5 points since 2011. This makes the area more qualified than most other regions. It is a well-educated hub where high-level degrees are common and school completion rates have risen steadily.

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📍 Newcastle, Sub-region (SA3)

Where Newcastle sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

27.7% ▲ +44.0%

All sub-region (sa3) areas, 2021. The marker is Newcastle — higher than 69% of areas.

Newcastle27.7%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

About 57.0% of residents have finished Year 12, which is a little below the state and national figures. This represents a significant jump from 2011, when the rate was 45.6%.

Completed Year 12

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57.0% ▲ +24.9%

Higher than 58% of sub-region (sa3) areas.

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

Highest year of school

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In Newcastle, Year 12 is the majority at 61%; Year 10 is next at 24%.

Year 12 57.0% Year 10 22.4% Year 9 or below 9.2% Year 11 5.3%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

The proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is 27.7%, which is a little above the Australian average. The most common qualifications are bachelor degrees at 28.9% and Certificate III or IVs at 26.9%.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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27.7% ▲ +44.0%

Higher than 69% of sub-region (sa3) 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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Newcastle splits fairly evenly between Bachelor degree (34%) and Certificate III / IV (32%), with Advanced diploma / diploma at 16%.

Bachelor degree 28.9% Certificate III / IV 26.9% Advanced diploma / diploma 13.6% Postgraduate degree 10.1% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.8% Certificate I / II 1.9%

Field of study

What people studied.

Qualifications in the region are most common in management and commerce at 17.5%, followed by engineering at 14.7% and health at 13.5%.

Schools

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

Newcastle is home to 76 schools, which is among the largest number for its level. There are 2.58 schools per 1,000 children, a rate higher than most areas, with 65.8% of students attending government schools.

Average school ICSEA

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1,055

Higher than 68% 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 Newcastle — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Newcastle

76 schools — 29,508 students, average ICSEA 1,055.

By sector: Government 50 · Catholic 17 · Independent 9

By type: Primary 47 · Secondary 17 · Combined 12
St Philip's Christian College - Waratah, Waratah Independent Combined — 1,466 1,138
Lambton High School, Lambton Government Secondary — 1,176 1,057
Kotara High School, Adamstown Government Secondary — 1,130 1,066
Hunter School of Performing Arts, Broadmeadow Government Combined — 1,094 1,085
Merewether High School, Broadmeadow Government Secondary — 1,080 1,206
Newcastle High School, Hamilton Government Secondary — 1,072 1,027
Newcastle Grammar School, The Hill Independent Combined — 1,049 1,181
St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton Catholic Secondary — 959 1,096
Callaghan College Wallsend Campus, Wallsend Government Secondary — 890 952
Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, Fletcher Independent Combined — 860 1,085
Trinity Catholic College, Adamstown Catholic Secondary — 849 1,090
Callaghan College Waratah Campus, Waratah Government Secondary — 848 957
Francis Greenway High School, Beresfield Government Secondary — 742 912
Alesco Secondary College, Cooks Hill Independent Secondary — 664 949
Callaghan College Jesmond Senior Campus, Jesmond Government Secondary — 659 980
Glendore Public School, Maryland Government Primary — 609 1,019
San Clemente Catholic College, Mayfield Catholic Secondary — 605 1,038
Wallsend South Public School, Wallsend Government Primary — 583 1,083
St Therese's Primary School, New Lambton Catholic Primary — 543 1,100
New Lambton Public School, New Lambton Government Primary — 538 1,108
New Lambton South Public School, New Lambton Government Primary — 462 1,095
The Junction Public School, Merewether Government Primary — 450 1,115
Adamstown Public School, Adamstown Government Primary — 439 1,078
Belair Public School, Adamstown Government Primary — 409 1,103
St Joseph's Primary School, Merewether Catholic Primary — 387 1,141
Maryland Public School, Maryland Government Primary — 368 996
Hamilton South Public School, Merewether Government Primary — 362 1,139
Tighes Hill Public School, Tighes Hill Government Primary — 358 1,104
Waratah Public School, Waratah Government Primary — 351 1,019
Mayfield East Public School, Mayfield East Government Primary — 343 1,044
Mayfield West Public School, Mayfield Government Primary — 342 1,033
Lambton Public School, Lambton Government Primary — 339 1,065
Hunter Christian School, Mayfield Independent Combined — 337 1,061
St James' Primary School, Kotara South Catholic Primary — 334 1,104
St Patrick's Primary School, Wallsend Catholic Primary — 323 1,076
Kotara South Public School, Kotara Government Primary — 309 1,069
Hamilton Public School, Hamilton Government Primary — 306 1,106
Elermore Vale Public School, Wallsend Government Primary — 290 996
Shortland Public School, Shortland Government Primary — 271 926
Merewether Heights Public School, Merewether Heights Government Primary — 269 1,129
Beresfield Public School, Beresfield Government Primary — 262 918
Newcastle East Public School, Newcastle Government Primary — 260 1,112
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Tarro Catholic Primary — 260 1,013
Stockton Public School, Stockton Government Primary — 254 1,000
Wallsend Public School, Wallsend Government Primary — 252 965
St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning, Waratah Independent Combined — 223 1,022
Woodberry Public School, Woodberry Government Primary — 221 817
Jesmond Public School, Jesmond Government Primary — 216 923
St John's Primary School, Lambton Catholic Primary — 200 1,083
Holy Family Primary School, Merewether Beach Catholic Primary — 198 1,132
Plattsburg Public School, Wallsend Government Primary — 195 910
Fern Bay Public School, Fern Bay Government Primary — 182 1,002
St Peter's Primary School, Stockton Catholic Primary — 180 1,053
Corpus Christi Primary School, Waratah Catholic Primary — 169 1,085
St Columba's Primary School, Adamstown Catholic Primary — 168 1,107
Heaton Public School, Jesmond Government Primary — 162 955
St Columban's Primary School, Mayfield Catholic Primary — 162 1,034
Islington Public School, Islington Government Primary — 159 1,090
Merewether Public School, Merewether Government Primary — 139 950
Minmi Public School, Minmi Government Primary — 133 1,018
Our Lady of Victories Primary School, Shortland Catholic Primary — 130 1,025
Hamilton North Public School, Broadmeadow Government Primary — 123 1,030
Tarro Public School, Tarro Government Primary — 115 892
Waratah West Public School, Waratah West Government Primary — 113 963
Carrington Public School, Carrington Government Primary — 110 996
Margaret Jurd College, Shortland Independent Secondary — 103 889
Novoschool, Newcastle West Independent Secondary — 79 1,077
St Philip's Christian College Young Parents, Waratah Independent Secondary — 52 776
St Laurence Flexible Learning Centre, Broadmeadow Catholic Secondary — 47 869
Newcastle Middle School, Waratah Government Combined — 45 967
St Dominic's Catholic College, Mayfield Catholic Combined — 43 966
Newcastle Senior School, Waratah Government Secondary — 37 960
Woodberry Learning Centre, Woodberry Government Combined — 26 844
Kotara School, Kotara Government Combined — 25 816
Awabakal Environmental Education Centre, Shortland Government Combined — — —
John Hunter Hospital School, New Lambton Heights 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).

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Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Newcastle [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/11103/newcastle/topic/education