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Onkaparinga · Sub-region (SA3)

Education & Qualifications in Onkaparinga

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

Onkaparinga sits around the middle for its level across most education measures, though it trails the state and national figures for higher schooling. While 51.3% of residents have finished Year 12, this is well below the Australian average of 58.8%. The area is seeing steady growth, with a notable 8.8 percentage point rise in Year 12 completions since 2011.

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📍 Onkaparinga, Sub-region (SA3)

Where Onkaparinga sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

16.7% ▲ +42.9%

All sub-region (sa3) areas, 2021. The marker is Onkaparinga — lower than 61% of areas.

Onkaparinga16.7%
Greater Adelaide 25.9%
South Australia 22.7%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion rates are well below the state and national figures, though they have climbed from 42.5% in 2011. Most residents reached Year 12, while 19.3% finished Year 11 and 17.1% finished Year 10.

Completed Year 12

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51.3% ▲ +20.7%

Lower than 53% 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 Onkaparinga, Year 12 is the majority at 54%; Year 11 is next at 20%.

Year 12 51.3% Year 11 19.3% Year 10 17.1% Year 9 or below 7.4%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 16.7% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 26.3%. Trade qualifications are more common here, with 38.6% of people holding a Certificate III or IV.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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16.7% ▲ +42.9%

Lower than 61% 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 Onkaparinga, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 45%, followed by Bachelor degree (23%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (18%).

Certificate III / IV 38.6% Bachelor degree 19.8% Advanced diploma / diploma 15.7% Postgraduate degree 4.9% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.4% Certificate I / II 3.0%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of study for qualified residents are management and commerce at 16.4%, followed by engineering at 15.5% and society and culture at 14.7%.

Schools

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

Onkaparinga has 59 schools, placing it among the largest for its level with 24,939 total enrolments. Most students attend government schools (69.5%), and the majority of the 59 schools are primary schools.

Average school ICSEA

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1,006

Lower than 55% 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 Onkaparinga — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Onkaparinga

59 schools — 24,939 students, average ICSEA 1,006.

By sector: Government 41 · Independent 11 · Catholic 7

By type: Primary 44 · Combined 8 · Secondary 7
Cardijn College - Marian Campus, Noarlunga Downs Catholic Secondary — 2,247 1,019
Reynella East College, Reynella East Government Combined — 1,938 988
Woodcroft College, Morphett Vale Independent Combined — 1,534 1,071
Tatachilla Lutheran College, Mclaren Vale Independent Combined — 1,103 1,068
Wirreanda Secondary School, Morphett Vale Government Secondary — 915 913
Aberfoyle Park High School, Aberfoyle Park Government Secondary — 906 1,039
Aldinga Payinthi College, Aldinga Government Combined — 831 954
Seaford Secondary College, Seaford Government Secondary — 829 962
Christies Beach High School, Christie Downs Government Secondary — 789 905
Prescott College Southern, Morphett Vale Independent Combined — 707 1,036
Willunga High School, Willunga Government Secondary — 693 994
All Saints Catholic Primary School, Seaford Catholic Primary — 536 1,017
McLaren Vale Primary School, Mclaren Vale Government Primary — 521 1,018
Southern Vales Christian College - Morphett Vale Campus, Morphett Vale Independent Combined — 503 1,038
Coromandel Valley Primary School, Coromandel Valley Government Primary — 483 1,097
Woodcroft Primary School, Woodcroft Government Primary — 454 1,004
Flagstaff Hill Primary School, Flagstaff Hill Government Primary — 432 1,067
Reynella Primary School, Old Reynella Government Primary — 430 1,001
Craigburn Primary School, Flagstaff Hill Government Primary — 426 1,074
Willunga Waldorf School, Willunga Independent Combined — 390 1,072
Aldinga Beach Primary School, Aldinga Government Primary — 377 959
Emmaus Catholic School, Woodcroft Catholic Primary — 373 1,005
Port Noarlunga Primary School, Port Noarlunga Government Primary — 370 999
Moana Primary School, Seaford Government Primary — 369 1,018
Seaford Rise Primary School, Seaford Rise Government Primary — 369 977
Braeview School, Happy Valley Government Primary — 360 1,032
Flaxmill School P-6, Morphett Vale Government Primary — 358 950
Willunga Primary School, Willunga Government Primary — 346 1,027
St John The Apostle Parish School, Christies Beach Catholic Primary — 334 1,021
Happy Valley Primary School, Happy Valley Government Primary — 325 1,033
South Port Primary School, Port Noarlunga South Government Primary — 295 968
Antonio Catholic School, Morphett Vale Catholic Primary — 277 1,008
Pimpala Primary School, Morphett Vale Government Primary — 254 981
Aberfoyle Hub Primary School, Aberfoyle Park Government Primary — 241 1,030
Coorara Primary School, Morphett Vale Government Primary — 233 947
Southern Montessori School, O'Sullivan Beach Independent Primary — 230 1,095
Hackham East Primary School, Hackham Government Primary — 217 948
McLaren Flat Primary School, Mclaren Flat Government Primary — 207 1,030
Christie Downs Primary School, Christie Downs Government Primary — 205 925
Christies Beach Primary School, Christies Beach Government Primary — 194 889
Calvary Lutheran Primary School, Morphett Vale Independent Primary — 191 971
Morphett Vale Primary School, Morphett Vale Government Primary — 182 950
Pilgrim School, Aberfoyle Park Independent Primary — 161 1,109
School of the Nativity, Aberfoyle Park Catholic Primary — 159 1,086
Old Noarlunga Primary School, Old Noarlunga Government Primary — 155 999
Morphett Vale East School, Morphett Vale Government Primary — 153 908
Sunrise Christian School Morphett Vale, Morphett Vale Independent Primary — 151 1,068
Thiele Primary School, Aberfoyle Park Government Primary — 151 1,022
Reynella South Primary School, Reynella Government Primary — 150 969
FAME - Flexible Accredited Meaningful Engagement, Christie Downs Catholic Secondary — 137 952
Noarlunga Downs Primary School, Noarlunga Downs Government Primary — 124 937
Hackham West School, Hackham West Government Primary — 110 867
Our Saviour Lutheran School Happy Valley Incorporated, Aberfoyle Park Independent Primary — 98 1,065
Clarendon Primary School, Clarendon Government Primary — 86 1,042
O'Sullivan Beach Primary School, O'Sullivan Beach Government Primary — 84 926
Huntfield Heights School P-6, Huntfield Heights Government Primary — 80 898
Lonsdale Heights Primary School, Christie Downs Government Primary — 71 949
OneSchool Global SA - Aberfoyle Campus, Aberfoyle Park Independent Combined — 65 983
Kangarilla Primary School, Kangarilla Government Primary — 30 1,018

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 Onkaparinga [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/40304/onkaparinga/topic/education