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Mid North Coast · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Mid North Coast

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

Certificate III and IV qualifications are the most common achievement in the Mid North Coast, held by 36.9% of adults. While the region's educational attainment has improved over the last decade, figures for Year 12 completion and university degrees remain far below the state and national averages.

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📍 Mid North Coast, Region (SA4)

Where Mid North Coast sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

13.8% ▲ +48.1%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Mid North Coast — lower than 72% of areas.

Mid North Coast13.8%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Only 37.7% of residents have finished Year 12, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 58.9%. This is a low rate compared to most areas, although it has risen by 8.5 points since 2011.

Completed Year 12

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37.7% ▲ +29.0%

Lower than 86% 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 Mid North Coast, the largest group is Year 12 at 41%, followed by Year 10 (36%) and Year 9 or below (16%).

Year 12 37.7% Year 10 32.7% Year 9 or below 14.7% Year 11 6.6%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

University degrees are less common here than in most areas, with only 13.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the national figure of 26.3%, despite a 4.5 point increase since 2011.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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13.8% ▲ +48.1%

Lower than 72% 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 Mid North Coast, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 48%, followed by Bachelor degree (21%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (19%).

Certificate III / IV 36.9% Bachelor degree 16.5% Advanced diploma / diploma 14.5% Postgraduate degree 4.0% Certificate I / II 2.7% Graduate diploma / certificate 2.7%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most popular fields of study for those with qualifications are management and commerce at 15.6%, followed by engineering and related fields at 14.2%.

Schools

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

The region has 119 schools and a high number of schools per 1,000 children compared to most areas. Most students attend government schools (73.9%), and the typical school is smaller than in most similar regions.

Average school ICSEA

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964

Lower than 86% 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 Mid North Coast — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Mid North Coast

119 schools — 31,603 students, average ICSEA 964.

By sector: Government 88 · Catholic 18 · Independent 13

By type: Primary 86 · Secondary 22 · Combined 11
St Columba Anglican School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined — 1,221 1,116
MacKillop College Port Macquarie, Port Macquarie Catholic Secondary — 1,107 1,068
St Joseph's Regional College, Port Macquarie Catholic Secondary — 1,026 1,017
Camden Haven High School, Laurieton Government Secondary — 896 962
MidCoast Christian College, Taree Independent Combined — 787 1,015
Manning Valley Anglican College, Cundletown Independent Combined — 758 1,005
Hastings Secondary College, Port Macquarie Campus, Port Macquarie Government Secondary — 717 971
St Paul's College, West Kempsey Catholic Secondary — 641 999
St Clare's High School, Taree Catholic Secondary — 630 1,012
Wauchope Public School, Wauchope Government Primary — 624 900
Taree High School, Taree Government Secondary — 623 918
Hastings Secondary College, Westport Campus, Port Macquarie Government Secondary — 612 919
Tacking Point Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary — 594 1,054
Kempsey High School, Kempsey Government Secondary — 584 848
Forster Public School, Forster Government Primary — 573 934
Nambucca Valley Christian Community School, Nambucca Heads Independent Combined — 555 1,042
St Agnes' Primary School, Port Macquarie Catholic Primary — 553 1,029
St Peter's Primary School, Port Macquarie Catholic Primary — 534 1,075
Hastings Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary — 526 1,019
Wingham High School, Wingham Government Secondary — 520 932
Chatham High School, Taree Government Secondary — 493 814
Old Bar Public School, Old Bar Government Primary — 480 994
Great Lakes College Forster Campus, Forster Government Secondary — 478 936
Great Lakes College Tuncurry Campus, Tuncurry Government Secondary — 466 949
Kempsey Adventist School, Kempsey Independent Combined — 458 953
Wauchope High School, Wauchope Government Secondary — 458 894
Port Macquarie Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary — 451 932
Kempsey West Public School, West Kempsey Government Primary — 422 794
Taree West Public School, Taree Government Primary — 409 910
St Joseph's Primary School, Port Macquarie Catholic Primary — 397 1,017
Lake Cathie Public School, Lake Cathie Government Primary — 395 1,007
Tuncurry Public School, Tuncurry Government Primary — 366 930
Macksville High School, Macksville Government Secondary — 365 916
Westport Public School, Port Macquarie Government Primary — 365 888
Melville High School, Kempsey Government Secondary — 355 849
Great Lakes College Senior Campus, Tuncurry Government Secondary — 349 988
South West Rocks Public School, South West Rocks Government Primary — 348 952
Heritage Christian School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined — 345 1,032
Holy Name Primary School, Forster Catholic Primary — 345 1,014
St Joseph's Primary School, West Kempsey Catholic Primary — 332 991
Newman Senior Technical College, Port Macquarie Catholic Secondary — 327 996
Nambucca Heads High School, Nambucca Heads Government Secondary — 314 890
Gloucester High School, Gloucester Government Secondary — 309 950
Hallidays Point Public School, Diamond Beach Government Primary — 302 1,021
Bulahdelah Central School, Bulahdelah Government Combined — 289 902
Macksville Public School, Macksville Government Primary — 284 925
St Joseph's Primary School, Wauchope Catholic Primary — 277 1,011
Gloucester Public School, Gloucester Government Primary — 275 955
St Joseph's Primary School, Taree Catholic Primary — 271 952
Cundletown Public School, Cundletown Government Primary — 265 923
Aldavilla Public School, Yarravel Government Primary — 263 896
Pacific Palms Public School, Boomerang Beach Government Primary — 247 1,007
St Patrick's Primary School, Macksville Catholic Primary — 244 1,002
Wingham Public School, Wingham Government Primary — 240 934
North Haven Public School, North Haven Government Primary — 232 997
Chatham Public School, Taree Government Primary — 222 837
Frank Partridge VC Public School, Nambucca Heads Government Primary — 217 886
Bowraville Central School, Bowraville Government Combined — 207 861
Manning Gardens Public School, Taree Government Primary — 207 724
Kendall Public School, Kendall Government Primary — 206 936
Wingham Brush Public School, Wingham Government Primary — 203 895
Beechwood Public School, Wauchope Government Primary — 184 959
St Joseph's Primary School, Laurieton Catholic Primary — 181 1,011
Kempsey East Public School, Kempsey Government Primary — 180 875
The Nature School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined — 171 1,054
Crescent Head Public School, Crescent Head Government Primary — 167 987
Nabiac Public School, Nabiac Government Primary — 165 938
Tinonee Public School, Tinonee Government Primary — 158 948
Nambucca Heads Public School, Nambucca Heads Government Primary — 156 904
Laurieton Public School, Laurieton Government Primary — 151 991
Frederickton Public School, Frederickton Government Primary — 130 890
Kempsey South Public School, Kempsey Government Primary — 129 767
Telegraph Point Public School, Telegraph Point Government Primary — 126 968
St Joseph's Primary School, Wingham Catholic Primary — 118 941
Nautilus Senior College, Port Macquarie Independent Secondary — 113 833
Tallowood Steiner School, Bowraville Independent Primary — 94 989
Port Macquarie Adventist School, Port Macquarie Independent Combined — 91 1,011
Macleay Vocational College, South Kempsey Independent Secondary — 88 787
Booral Public School, Booral Government Primary — 84 938
Harrington Public School, Harrington Government Primary — 83 949
Taree Public School, Taree Government Primary — 83 795
Scotts Head Public School, Scotts Head Government Primary — 73 1,014
St Joseph's Primary School, Bulahdelah Catholic Primary — 72 980
Stroud Public School, Stroud Government Primary — 71 931
Port Macquarie Steiner School, Port Macquarie Independent Primary — 69 1,051
Coopernook Public School, Coopernook Government Primary — 60 925
Eungai Public School, Eungai Creek Government Primary — 57 926
Smithtown Public School, Smithtown Government Primary — 54 885
Stuarts Point Public School, Stuarts Point Government Primary — 53 848
Barrington Public School, Barrington Government Primary — 52 966
St Mary's Primary School, Bowraville Catholic Primary — 48 827
North East Public School of Distance Education, Port Macquarie Government Primary — 45 979
Krambach Public School, Krambach Government Primary — 40 908
Lansdowne Public School, Lansdowne Government Primary — 38 907
Mitchells Island Public School, Mitchells Island Government Primary — 37 917
Bungwahl Public School, Bungwahl Government Primary — 36 1,037
Comboyne Public School, Comboyne Government Primary — 36 926
Hannam Vale Public School, Hannam Vale Government Primary — 36 1,033
Long Flat Public School, Long Flat Government Primary — 36 887
Lord Howe Island Central School, Lord Howe Island Government Combined — 35 1,009
St Joseph's Primary School, Gloucester Catholic Primary — 35 1,030
Willawarrin Public School, Willawarrin Government Primary — 34 838
Medlow Public School, Medlow Government Primary — 33 978
Manning Adventist School, Tinonee Independent Primary — 32 952
Coolongolook Public School, Coolongolook Government Primary — 31 950
Moorland Public School, Moorland Government Primary — 31 825
Kinchela Public School, Kinchela Government Primary — 27 951
Herons Creek Public School, Herons Creek Government Primary — 25 919
Bellbrook Public School, Bellbrook Government Primary — 24 732
Rollands Plains Upper Public School, Rollands Plains Government Primary — 24 939
Mount George Public School, Mount George Government Primary — 23 932
Huntingdon Public School, Wauchope Government Primary — 22 838
Gladstone Public School, Gladstone Government Primary — 19 1,004
Green Hill Public School, West Kempsey Government Primary — 19 712
Elands Public School, Elands Government Primary — 15 976
Stratford Public School, Stratford Government Primary — 15 904
Bobin Public School, Bobin Government Primary — 13 938
Upper Lansdowne Public School, Upper Lansdowne Government Primary — 13 979
Stroud Road Public School, Stroud Road Government Primary — 9 948

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 Mid North Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/108/mid-north-coast/topic/education