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Toowoomba · Sub-region (SA3)

Education & Qualifications in Toowoomba

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

Well below the national figure for school and university completion, Toowoomba is working to close its education gap. While only 53.3% of residents finished Year 12, this is a significant jump from the 44% recorded in 2011. The area is also seeing more people gain higher degrees, with the share of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher rising to 20.1%.

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📍 Toowoomba, Sub-region (SA3)

Where Toowoomba sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

20.1% ▲ +36.7%

All sub-region (sa3) areas, 2021. The marker is Toowoomba — higher than 52% of areas.

Toowoomba20.1%
Rest of Qld 17.1%
Queensland 21.9%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion sits at 53.3%, which is well below both the Queensland and Australian figures. This is a strong improvement from ten years ago, with the rate rising by 9.3 percentage points since 2011.

Completed Year 12

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53.3% ▲ +21.0%

Higher than 51% 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 Toowoomba, Year 12 is the majority at 57%; Year 10 is next at 25%.

Year 12 53.3% Year 10 23.8% Year 9 or below 10.8% Year 11 5.9%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

About one in five adults holds a bachelor degree or higher, a figure that is a little below the state average and well below the national average. Certificate III or IV qualifications are the most common, held by 33.3% of residents.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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20.1% ▲ +36.7%

Higher than 52% 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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In Toowoomba, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 40%, followed by Bachelor degree (27%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (17%).

Certificate III / IV 33.3% Bachelor degree 22.9% Advanced diploma / diploma 14.7% Postgraduate degree 7.0% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.7% Certificate I / II 2.8%

Field of study

What people studied.

Qualifications in Toowoomba are spread across several fields, led by Management and Commerce at 16.6% and Engineering at 14.4%. Health and Society and Culture also make up significant shares of the local workforce's studies.

Schools

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

Toowoomba is home to 70 schools with 30,536 enrolments, making it one of the largest hubs for education at this level. Most of these are government schools (60%) and primary schools (65.7%).

Average school ICSEA

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1,007

Lower than 54% 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 Toowoomba — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Toowoomba

70 schools — 30,536 students, average ICSEA 1,007.

By sector: Government 42 · Catholic 15 · Independent 13

By type: Primary 46 · Secondary 12 · Combined 12
Centenary Heights State High School, Centenary Heights Government Secondary — 1,738 1,006
Harristown State High School, Harristown Government Secondary — 1,641 929
Downlands College, Toowoomba Catholic Combined — 1,187 1,060
Toowoomba Grammar School, East Toowoomba Independent Combined — 1,145 1,096
Mary MacKillop Catholic College, Highfields Catholic Combined — 1,047 1,046
Lockyer District State High School, Gatton Government Secondary — 950 941
St Mary's College, Toowoomba Catholic Combined — 930 1,017
St Joseph's College, Rangeville Catholic Secondary — 913 1,044
Wilsonton State High School, Wilsonton Heights Government Secondary — 904 920
Toowoomba East State School, East Toowoomba Government Primary — 867 1,067
Fairholme College, Toowoomba Independent Combined — 849 1,110
Toowoomba Christian College, Highfields Independent Combined — 810 1,066
Highfields State Secondary College, Highfields Government Secondary — 795 1,001
Toowoomba State High School, Mount Lofty Government Secondary — 775 934
Middle Ridge State School, Middle Ridge Government Primary — 735 1,044
Rangeville State School, Rangeville Government Primary — 723 1,039
The Glennie School, Toowoomba Independent Combined — 700 1,073
Toowoomba Anglican School, Toowoomba Independent Combined — 682 1,132
Highlands Christian College, Toowoomba Independent Combined — 670 1,060
Concordia Lutheran College, Toowoomba Independent Combined — 664 1,066
Glenvale State School, Glenvale Government Primary — 658 971
Highfields State School, Highfields Government Primary — 653 1,037
Darling Heights State School, Darling Heights Government Primary — 607 944
St Saviour's Primary School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 486 1,048
Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 454 1,029
Harristown State School, Harristown Government Primary — 446 859
Wilsonton State School, Wilsonton Government Primary — 438 893
Mater Dei Primary School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 433 1,116
St Ursula's College, Toowoomba Catholic Secondary — 401 1,043
Gatton State School, Gatton Government Primary — 399 875
Darling Downs Adventist College, Toowoomba Independent Combined — 362 1,038
Gabbinbar State School, Centenary Heights Government Primary — 356 1,010
Fairview Heights State School, Wilsonton Government Primary — 342 931
Newtown State School, Newtown Government Primary — 337 900
Peace Lutheran Primary School, Gatton Independent Primary — 329 999
St Thomas More's Primary School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 319 1,032
St Saviour's College, Toowoomba Catholic Secondary — 295 986
Bunker's Hill State School, Westbrook Government Primary — 273 1,007
Meringandan State School, Meringandan West Government Primary — 260 1,018
Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Gatton Catholic Primary — 246 999
Sacred Heart Primary School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 246 998
Withcott State School, Withcott Government Primary — 245 1,027
Toowoomba North State School, Toowoomba Government Primary — 237 909
St Anthony's School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 234 998
Gowrie State School, Gowrie Junction Government Primary — 210 1,013
Kingsthorpe State School, Kingsthorpe Government Primary — 205 939
Rockville State School, Rockville Government Primary — 189 810
Clifford Park Special School, Newtown Government Secondary — 183 937
Harlaxton State School, Harlaxton Government Primary — 177 828
Drayton State School, Drayton Government Primary — 165 929
Geham State School, Geham Government Primary — 163 1,012
Wyreema State School, Wyreema Government Primary — 162 953
Cambooya State School, Cambooya Government Primary — 159 958
Holy Name Primary School, Toowoomba Catholic Primary — 148 987
Toowoomba West Special School, Newtown Government Primary — 140 953
Glenvale Christian School, Glenvale Independent Primary — 127 1,037
Helidon State School, Helidon Government Primary — 103 938
The Industry School - Toowoomba, Toowoomba City Independent Secondary — 92 1,024
Good Samaritan College, Toowoomba Catholic Secondary — 79 950
Tent Hill Lower State School, Lower Tenthill Government Primary — 75 985
Vale View State School, Vale View Government Primary — 74 994
Grantham State School, Grantham Government Primary — 73 925
Maridahdi Kindergarten and Primary School, Toowoomba Independent Primary — 53 1,038
Wellcamp State School, Wellcamp Government Primary — 47 939
Flagstone Creek State School, Flagstone Creek Government Primary — 37 995
Ma Ma Creek State School, Ma Ma Creek Government Primary — 26 967
Mount Sylvia State School, Mount Sylvia Government Primary — 23 918
Ming-De International School Toowoomba, Westbrook Independent Combined — 19 1,075
Murphy's Creek State School, Murphys Creek Government Primary — 17 918
Mount Whitestone State School, Mount Whitestone Government Primary — 9 934

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 Toowoomba [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/31701/toowoomba/topic/education