Wheat Belt - North · Sub-region (SA3)

Education & Qualifications in Wheat Belt - North

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

Only 39.5% of people in Wheat Belt - North finished Year 12, which is far below the state and national figures. This gap in formal schooling is reflected in a workforce where high-level degrees are rare and vocational certificates are more common.

Open map →
📍 Wheat Belt - North, Sub-region (SA3)

Where Wheat Belt - North sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

10.2% ▲ +23.1%
  • 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 Wheat Belt - North — lower than 92% of areas.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher compared with the state and national average
Wheat Belt - North10.2%
Rest of WA 13.5%
Western Australia 23.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is far below the Western Australian average of 58.0%, though the figure has risen 3.9 percentage points since 2011. About 27.6% of residents stopped their schooling at Year 10.

39.5% ▲ +11.1%

Lower than 83% of sub-region (sa3) areas.

  • 2011: 35.5%
  • 2016: 36.8%
  • 2021: 39.5%

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

Highest year of school

View on map →

In Wheat Belt - North, the largest group is Year 12 at 45%, followed by Year 10 (32%) and Year 11 (12%).

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Bachelor degrees or higher are held by just 10.2% of adults, which is among the lowest levels for similar areas. Certificate III or IV qualifications are the most common, held by 34.5% of the population.

10.2% ▲ +23.1%

Lower than 92% of sub-region (sa3) areas.

  • 2011: 8.3%
  • 2016: 8.9%
  • 2021: 10.2%

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 Wheat Belt - North, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 50%, followed by Bachelor degree (20%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (18%).

Field of study

What people studied.

Engineering and related fields are the most popular qualifications at 18.1%, followed by management and commerce at 11.7%.

Schools

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

The region has 54 schools, which is more than 91% of similar areas, but they are among the smallest with an average size of 141 students. Almost 89% of these schools are government-run.

944

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 in and around Wheat Belt - North — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Wheat Belt - North

54 schools — 7,629 students, average ICSEA 944.

By sector: Government 48 · Catholic 5 · Independent 1

By type: Primary 32 · Combined 19 · Secondary 3

Schools serving Wheat Belt - North, sortable by name, sector, type, distance and student count
St Joseph's School, Northam Catholic Primary 721 1,013
Northam Senior High School, Northam Government Secondary 669 898
Merredin College, Merredin Government Combined 542 912
York District High School, York Government Combined 373 960
Gingin District High School, Gingin Government Combined 372 954
Jurien Bay District High School, Jurien Bay Government Combined 364 956
Immaculate Heart College, Lower Chittering Independent Combined 358 995
Northam Primary School, Northam Government Primary 325 937
Toodyay District High School, Toodyay Government Combined 275 942
Dalwallinu District High School, Dalwallinu Government Combined 221 984
Wongan Hills District High School, Wongan Hills Government Combined 208 920
Central Midlands Senior High School, Moora Government Secondary 196 904
Beverley District High School, Beverley Government Combined 185 932
Bindoon Primary School, Bindoon Government Primary 185 974
Narembeen District High School, Narembeen Government Combined 157 995
Cunderdin District High School, Cunderdin Government Combined 144 960
St Joseph's School, Moora Catholic Primary 142 883
Quairading District High School, Quairading Government Combined 133 879
Dowerin District High School, Dowerin Government Combined 132 963
Lancelin Primary School, Lancelin Government Primary 132 955
West Northam Primary School, Northam Government Primary 130 803
Western Australian College Of Agriculture - Cunderdin, Cunderdin Government Secondary 126 994
Bakers Hill Primary School, Bakers Hill Government Primary 125 964
Moora Primary School, Moora Government Primary 124 927
St Mary's School, Merredin Catholic Primary 118 1,015
Avonvale Primary School, Northam Government Primary 117 745
Kellerberrin District High School, Kellerberrin Government Combined 110 918
Mukinbudin District High School, Mukinbudin Government Combined 105 953
Bruce Rock District High School, Bruce Rock Government Combined 100 941
Wundowie Primary School, Wundowie Government Primary 63 898
Cervantes Primary School, Cervantes Government Primary 55 955
Southern Cross District High School, Southern Cross Government Combined 54 874
Goomalling Primary School, Goomalling Government Primary 47 911
Dandaragan Primary School, Dandaragan Government Primary 46 998
Wyalkatchem District High School, Wyalkatchem Government Combined 46 870
Sacred Heart Catholic School, Goomalling Catholic Primary 42 1,002
Avonvale Education Support Centre, Northam Government Combined 40 932
Badgingarra Primary School, Badgingarra Government Primary 32 1,000
St Joseph's School, Southern Cross Catholic Primary 30 1,006
Bencubbin Primary School, Bencubbin Government Primary 28 936
Koorda Primary School, Koorda Government Primary 27 984
Miling Primary School, Miling Government Primary 25 991
Moorine Rock Primary School, Moorine Rock Government Primary 25 944
Calingiri Primary School, Calingiri Government Primary 24 928
Kalannie Primary School, Kalannie Government Primary 24 1,001
Bolgart Primary School, Bolgart Government Primary 23 986
Meckering Primary School, Meckering Government Primary 22 983
Beacon Primary School, Beacon Government Primary 20 1,000
Cadoux Primary School, Cadoux Government Primary 16 966
Tammin Primary School, Tammin Government Primary 16 921
Trayning Primary School, Trayning Government Primary 14 851
Yerecoin Primary School, Yerecoin Government Primary 14 1,074
Babakin Primary School, Babakin Government Primary 5 1,054
Nungarin Primary School, Nungarin Government Primary 2

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 Wheat Belt - North

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Wheat Belt - North [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/50902/wheat-belt-north/topic/education