46.4% ▲ +14.7%
Lower than 63% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 40.5%
- 2016: 42.8%
- 2021: 46.4%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Central Highlands · Sub-region (SA3)
Education & Qualifications in Central Highlands
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
Far fewer adults in the Central Highlands have a bachelor degree or higher compared to the rest of the country. Only 11.1% of residents hold a university degree, which is far below the national figure. While school completion rates have risen by 6 percentage points since 2011, the region continues to trail significantly behind both Queensland and Australia.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
Only 46.4% of people here finished Year 12, a figure far below the 58.8% national average. This is lower than most other similar areas, though it represents a modest increase from 40.5% in 2011.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Central Highlands, Year 12 is the majority at 54%; Year 10 is next at 28%.
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
University qualifications are uncommon here, with just 11.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. The most common highest qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 39.2% of residents.
11.1% ▲ +18.6%
Lower than 87% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 9.4%
- 2016: 10.2%
- 2021: 11.1%
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 Central Highlands, Certificate III / IV is the majority at 54%; Bachelor degree is next at 20%.
Field of study
What people studied.
Among those with qualifications, the most popular field is Engineering and related subjects at 22.6%, followed by Management and commerce at 12.1%.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
The region has 31 schools and 10,963 enrolments, with 4.53 schools per 1,000 children, which is much higher than most areas. However, the average school size is smaller than usual and school advantage scores are much lower than in most other areas.
31
Higher than 58% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Number of schools in the area.
4.53
Higher than 86% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
10,963
Higher than 56% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
365
Lower than 61% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
949
Lower than 86% 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 Central Highlands
31 schools — 10,963 students, average ICSEA 949.
By sector: Government 24 · Catholic 4 · Independent 3
By type: Primary 22 · Secondary 6 · Combined 3
| Capricornia (Emerald Campus) School of Distance Education, Emerald | Government | Combined | — | 5,463 | 960 |
| Emerald State High School, Emerald | Government | Secondary | — | 847 | 945 |
| Marist College, Emerald | Catholic | Secondary | — | 697 | 999 |
| St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Emerald | Catholic | Primary | — | 482 | 1,021 |
| Blackwater North State School, Blackwater | Government | Primary | — | 446 | 916 |
| Denison State School, Emerald | Government | Primary | — | 364 | 948 |
| St Brigid's Catholic Primary School, Emerald | Catholic | Primary | — | 323 | 990 |
| Emerald North State School, Emerald | Government | Primary | — | 314 | 878 |
| Blackwater State High School, Blackwater | Government | Secondary | — | 307 | 880 |
| Emerald State School, Emerald | Government | Primary | — | 295 | 948 |
| Woorabinda State School, Woorabinda | Government | Primary | — | 184 | 700 |
| Capella State School, Capella | Government | Primary | — | 179 | 938 |
| Springsure State School, Springsure | Government | Combined | — | 168 | 944 |
| Capella State High School, Capella | Government | Secondary | — | 149 | 925 |
| Blackwater State School, Blackwater | Government | Primary | — | 127 | 785 |
| Emerald Christian College, Emerald | Independent | Combined | — | 107 | 996 |
| Tieri State School, Tieri | Government | Primary | — | 99 | 949 |
| Wadja Wadja High School, Woorabinda | Independent | Secondary | — | 57 | 680 |
| Anakie State School, Anakie Siding | Government | Primary | — | 56 | 884 |
| Dingo State School, Dingo | Government | Primary | — | 45 | 962 |
| Duaringa State School, Duaringa | Government | Primary | — | 45 | 865 |
| Rolleston State School, Rolleston | Government | Primary | — | 45 | 969 |
| Bauhinia State School, Bauhinia | Government | Primary | — | 33 | 917 |
| Gindie State School, Gindie | Government | Primary | — | 29 | 1,039 |
| Bluff State School, Bluff | Government | Primary | — | 23 | 895 |
| Ontrack College Emerald, Emerald | Independent | Secondary | — | 23 | 904 |
| Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Springsure | Catholic | Primary | — | 23 | 1,038 |
| Lochington State School, Lochington | Government | Primary | — | 16 | 1,055 |
| Arcadia Valley State School, Arcadia Valley | Government | Primary | — | 9 | — |
| Comet State School, Comet | Government | Primary | — | 8 | 1,038 |
| Orion State School, Orion | Government | Primary | — | — | — |
Sources
More for Central Highlands
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Central Highlands [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/30801/central-highlands/topic/education