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Central West · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Central West

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

A gap of 17 percentage points separates Central West from the rest of the state in Year 12 completion rates. While more people are finishing school and getting degrees than a decade ago, the region still trails far behind state and national figures for higher education.

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📍 Central West, Region (SA4)

Where Central West sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

15.7% ▲ +44.0%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Central West — lower than 61% of areas.

Central West15.7%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Only 41.7% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 58.9%. This is a lower rate than most other areas, though it has risen by 7.8 points since 2011.

Completed Year 12

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41.7% ▲ +23.1%

Lower than 71% of region (sa4) areas.

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

Highest year of school

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In Central West, the largest group is Year 12 at 46%, followed by Year 10 (33%) and Year 9 or below (14%).

Year 12 41.7% Year 10 30.3% Year 9 or below 12.4% Year 11 6.4%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

University degrees are less common here, with only 15.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%, although the number of graduates has grown since 2011.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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15.7% ▲ +44.0%

Lower than 61% of region (sa4) 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 Central West, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 46%, followed by Bachelor degree (24%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (17%).

Certificate III / IV 35.6% Bachelor degree 18.6% Advanced diploma / diploma 13.2% Postgraduate degree 4.9% Graduate diploma / certificate 2.8% Certificate I / II 2.6%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common qualifications are in engineering and related fields at 15.7%, followed closely by management and commerce at 15.3%. Health and society and culture degrees also make up a significant share of the local workforce.

Schools

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

There are 151 schools in the region, which is more than most similar areas and provides a much higher number of schools per 1,000 children. However, these schools are typically much smaller and have a much lower average advantage score than those in most other areas.

Average school ICSEA

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966

Lower than 83% of region (sa4) areas.

Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).

Schools in and around Central West — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Central West

151 schools — 34,548 students, average ICSEA 966.

By sector: Government 111 · Catholic 29 · Independent 11

By type: Primary 105 · Combined 23 · Secondary 23
St Matthews Catholic School Mudgee, Mudgee Catholic Combined — 1,122 1,022
James Sheahan Catholic High School Orange, Orange Catholic Secondary — 1,030 1,010
Kinross Wolaroi School, Orange Independent Combined — 1,018 1,128
Denison College of Secondary Education, Bathurst High Campus, Bathurst Government Secondary — 917 963
Orange High School, Orange Government Secondary — 914 979
Red Bend Catholic College, Forbes Independent Secondary — 880 989
Denison College of Secondary Education, Kelso High Campus, Kelso Government Secondary — 813 936
Mudgee High School, Mudgee Government Secondary — 788 928
Scots All Saints College, White Rock Independent Combined — 779 1,087
Orange Public School, Orange Government Primary — 761 1,046
Orange Anglican Grammar School, Orange Independent Combined — 755 1,077
St Stanislaus' College, Bathurst Independent Secondary — 713 1,038
MacKillop College Bathurst, Bathurst Catholic Secondary — 691 1,027
Cudgegong Valley Public School, Mudgee Government Primary — 654 951
Lithgow High School, Lithgow Government Secondary — 654 918
Calare Public School, Orange Government Primary — 566 964
Canobolas Rural Technology High School, Orange Government Secondary — 546 838
Mudgee Public School, Mudgee Government Primary — 539 925
Bathurst West Public School, Bathurst Government Primary — 515 927
Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School Orange, Orange Catholic Primary — 505 1,020
Bletchington Public School, Orange Government Primary — 503 938
Orange Christian School, Orange Independent Combined — 490 1,052
Parkes High School, Parkes Government Secondary — 467 894
Holy Family Catholic Primary School Kelso, Kelso Catholic Primary — 463 1,028
St Raphael's Catholic School Cowra, Cowra Catholic Combined — 442 985
Cowra High School, Cowra Government Secondary — 439 884
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Orange, Orange Catholic Primary — 426 1,041
Bathurst Public School, Bathurst Government Primary — 424 983
Eglinton Public School, Eglinton Government Primary — 406 986
Parkes Christian School, Parkes Independent Combined — 402 1,014
Molong Central School, Molong Government Combined — 394 917
The Assumption Catholic Primary School Bathurst, Bathurst Catholic Primary — 393 1,031
Kelso Public School, Kelso Government Primary — 374 859
Cathedral Catholic Primary School Bathurst, Bathurst Catholic Primary — 363 1,036
Parkes Public School, Parkes Government Primary — 363 896
Forbes Public School, Forbes Government Primary — 356 940
Cowra Public School, Cowra Government Primary — 338 895
Mulyan Public School, Cowra Government Primary — 336 896
Lithgow Public School, Lithgow Government Primary — 324 919
St Laurence's Parish School, Forbes Catholic Primary — 298 992
Blayney High School, Blayney Government Secondary — 296 917
Forbes High School, Forbes Government Secondary — 287 848
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Lithgow, Lithgow Catholic Primary — 287 993
Gulgong Public School, Gulgong Government Primary — 283 913
Parkes East Public School, Parkes Government Primary — 281 949
Orange East Public School, Orange Government Primary — 270 951
West Wyalong High School, West Wyalong Government Secondary — 263 926
Cooerwull Public School, Lithgow Government Primary — 258 906
Condobolin Public School, Condobolin Government Primary — 256 848
Blayney Public School, Blayney Government Primary — 248 928
Canowindra High School, Canowindra Government Secondary — 239 945
Millthorpe Public School, Millthorpe Government Primary — 235 1,053
La Salle Academy Lithgow, Lithgow Catholic Secondary — 230 980
Lake Cargelligo Central School, Lake Cargelligo Government Combined — 227 858
Oberon Public School, Oberon Government Primary — 218 920
Bowen Public School, Orange Government Primary — 217 811
St Philomena's Catholic Primary School Bathurst, South Bathurst Catholic Primary — 216 1,028
Gulgong High School, Gulgong Government Secondary — 213 868
Glenroi Heights Public School, Orange Government Primary — 208 751
Condobolin High School, Condobolin Government Secondary — 205 834
Oberon High School, Oberon Government Secondary — 204 934
Portland Central School, Portland Government Combined — 204 845
Forbes North Public School, Forbes Government Primary — 203 818
West Wyalong Public School, West Wyalong Government Primary — 202 952
Raglan Public School, Raglan Government Primary — 191 978
Wallerawang Public School, Wallerawang Government Primary — 186 909
Bathurst South Public School, Bathurst Government Primary — 184 936
Canowindra Public School, Canowindra Government Primary — 181 953
The Henry Lawson High School, Grenfell Government Secondary — 178 946
Grenfell Public School, Grenfell Government Primary — 173 965
Middleton Public School, Parkes Government Primary — 173 891
Holy Family Parish School, Parkes Catholic Primary — 171 988
Kandos High School, Kandos Government Secondary — 166 902
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Blayney, Blayney Catholic Primary — 157 970
Skillset Senior College, Mitchell Independent Secondary — 155 904
Dunedoo Central School, Dunedoo Government Combined — 152 893
Nashdale Public School, Nashdale Government Primary — 137 1,063
Canobolas Public School, Orange Government Primary — 136 1,098
Anson Street School, Orange Government Combined — 134 882
All Hallows Catholic Primary School Gulgong, Gulgong Catholic Primary — 132 957
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Oberon, Oberon Catholic Primary — 129 968
Peak Hill Central School, Peak Hill Government Combined — 126 815
Perthville Public School, Perthville Government Primary — 126 1,013
Zig Zag Public School, Lithgow Government Primary — 120 934
St Joseph's Parish School, Condobolin Catholic Primary — 116 956
St Mary's War Memorial School, West Wyalong Catholic Primary — 113 1,038
OneSchool Global NSW - Orange, East Orange Independent Combined — 109 977
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Molong, Molong Catholic Primary — 106 1,030
Rylstone Public School, Rylstone Government Primary — 99 989
Trundle Central School, Trundle Government Combined — 98 919
Carenne School, Bathurst Government Combined — 97 908
Kandos Public School, Kandos Government Primary — 95 837
Ungarie Central School, Ungarie Government Combined — 88 915
Wyalong Public School, Wyalong Government Primary — 87 921
Clergate Public School, Clergate Government Primary — 74 961
Tottenham Central School, Tottenham Government Combined — 71 930
O'Connell Public School, O'Connell Government Primary — 68 1,056
Mullion Creek Public School, Mullion Creek Government Primary — 67 1,009
St Edward's Catholic Primary School Canowindra, Canowindra Catholic Primary — 63 1,022
Spring Hill Public School, Spring Hill Government Primary — 57 969
Tullamore Central School, Tullamore Government Combined — 54 915
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Portland, Portland Catholic Primary — 50 924
Cudal Public School, Cudal Government Primary — 48 979
St Michael's Catholic Primary School Dunedoo, Dunedoo Catholic Primary — 48 970
Cumnock Public School, Cumnock Government Primary — 47 954
St Joseph's Primary School, Grenfell Catholic Primary — 47 995
OneSchool Global NSW - Condobolin, Condobolin Independent Combined — 43 978
St Francis Xavier's Primary School, Lake Cargelligo Catholic Primary — 41 909
Spring Terrace Public School, Spring Terrace Government Primary — 40 927
Manildra Public School, Manildra Government Primary — 39 947
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Eugowra, Eugowra Catholic Primary — 37 939
St Joseph's Parish School, Peak Hill Catholic Primary — 34 850
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Manildra, Manildra Catholic Primary — 33 1,000
Tullibigeal Central School, Tullibigeal Government Combined — 33 958
Eugowra Public School, Eugowra Government Primary — 32 938
Bedgerabong Public School, Bedgerabong Government Primary — 31 950
Carcoar Public School, Carcoar Government Primary — 31 941
Holman Place School, Cowra Government Combined — 30 822
Meadow Flat Public School, Meadow Flat Government Primary — 30 1,000
Gooloogong Public School, Gooloogong Government Primary — 26 919
Holmwood Public School, Cowra Government Primary — 26 920
Lue Public School, Lue Government Primary — 26 886
Borenore Public School, Borenore Government Primary — 22 992
Woodstock Public School, Woodstock Government Primary — 20 937
Ilford Public School, Ilford Government Primary — 18 964
OneSchool Global NSW - Cowra, Cowra Independent Primary — 18 963
Caragabal Public School, Caragabal Government Primary — 15 986
Hampton Public School, Hampton Government Primary — 14 1,068
Hill End Public School, Hill End Government Primary — 14 972
Trunkey Public School, Trunkey Creek Government Primary — 14 980
Rockley Public School, Rockley Government Primary — 13 941
Cargo Public School, Cargo Government Primary — 12 764
Hargraves Public School, Hargraves Government Primary — 12 840
St Patrick's Parish School, Trundle Catholic Primary — 12 859
Bogan Gate Public School, Bogan Gate Government Primary — 11 828
Quandialla Public School, Quandialla Government Primary — 10 942
Naradhan Public School, Naradhan Government Primary — 9 922
Neville Public School, Neville Government Primary — 9 974
Wattle Flat Public School, Wattle Flat Government Primary — 9 932
Weethalle Public School, Weethalle Government Primary — 9 900
Cullen Bullen Public School, Cullen Bullen Government Primary — 8 790
Sofala Public School, Sofala Government Primary — 8 946
Lyndhurst Public School, Lyndhurst Government Primary — 7 856
Glen Alice Public School, Glen Alice Government Primary — 6 908
Tallimba Public School, Tallimba Government Primary — 6 954
Barmedman Public School, Barmedman Government Primary — 5 756
Capertee Public School, Capertee Government Primary — 5 987
Greenethorpe Public School, Greenethorpe Government Primary — 5 893
Black Springs Public School, Black Springs Government Primary — 3 961
Goolma Public School, Goolma Government Primary — 2 928
Red Hill Environmental Education Centre, Gulgong 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 Central West [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/103/central-west/topic/education