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Sydney - City and Inner South · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Sydney - City and Inner South

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

A significant leap in academic attainment has defined Sydney - City and Inner South since 2011. Nearly half of all adults now hold a bachelor degree or higher, making it one of the most highly qualified areas in the country. This trend is mirrored in high school completion, where the proportion of people finishing Year 12 has climbed steadily over the last decade.

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📍 Sydney - City and Inner South, Region (SA4)

Where Sydney - City and Inner South sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

48.7% ▲ +34.5%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Sydney - City and Inner South — higher than 99% of areas.

Sydney - City and Inner South48.7%
Greater Sydney 33.3%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion rates rose 11 points since 2011 to reach 78.4%. This is far above the national figure of 58.8% and among the highest levels seen across similar areas.

Completed Year 12

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78.4% ▲ +16.4%

Higher than 98% 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 Sydney - City and Inner South, Year 12 is the majority at 85%; Year 10 is next at 7%.

Year 12 78.4% Year 10 6.7% Year 9 or below 4.5% Year 11 3.1%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Higher education is very common here, with 48.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is 22 points above the Australian average and represents a 12 point increase since 2011.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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48.7% ▲ +34.5%

Higher than 99% 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 Sydney - City and Inner South, the largest group is Bachelor degree at 47%, followed by Postgraduate degree (22%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (14%).

Bachelor degree 40.9% Postgraduate degree 19.2% Advanced diploma / diploma 12.5% Certificate III / IV 9.5% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.6% Certificate I / II 0.8%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of study are management and commerce at 25.3%, followed by society and culture at 15.2%. Creative arts and engineering also make up significant portions of the local qualifications.

Schools

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

The area has 79 schools and 31,628 enrolments, with 62% being government schools. The average school advantage score is 1,122, which is among the highest for similar areas.

Average school ICSEA

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1,122

Higher than 92% 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 Sydney - City and Inner South — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Sydney - City and Inner South

79 schools — 31,628 students, average ICSEA 1,122.

By sector: Government 49 · Independent 18 · Catholic 12

By type: Primary 46 · Secondary 22 · Combined 11
Newington College, Stanmore Independent Secondary — 2,072 1,182
Sydney Grammar School, Darlinghurst Independent Secondary — 1,925 1,274
St Andrew's Cathedral School, Sydney Independent Combined — 1,436 1,189
Alexandria Park Community School, Alexandria Government Combined — 1,313 1,052
International Grammar School, Ultimo Independent Combined — 1,224 1,170
Inner Sydney High School, Surry Hills Government Secondary — 1,161 1,104
Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Newtown Government Secondary — 1,145 1,127
St Scholastica's College Glebe Point, Glebe Independent Secondary — 1,044 1,138
Tempe High School, Tempe Government Secondary — 985 1,096
St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney Catholic Combined — 937 1,125
SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Darlinghurst Independent Combined — 936 1,209
Fort Street High School, Petersham Government Secondary — 917 1,176
Casimir Catholic College, Marrickville Catholic Secondary — 827 1,052
Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus, Glebe Government Secondary — 798 1,094
St Vincent's College, Potts Point Independent Secondary — 755 1,145
Marrickville High School, Marrickville Government Secondary — 625 1,052
Sydney Distance Education High School, Woolloomooloo Government Secondary — 615 1,032
St Therese Catholic Primary School, Mascot Catholic Primary — 608 1,089
St Maroun's College, Marrickville Independent Combined — 567 1,051
Stanmore Public School, Stanmore Government Primary — 560 1,138
Wilkins Public School, Marrickville Government Primary — 508 1,135
Ultimo Public School, Ultimo Government Primary — 483 1,088
Marrickville West Public School, Marrickville Government Primary — 411 1,070
Mascot Public School, Mascot Government Primary — 397 1,035
Gardeners Road Public School, Rosebery Government Primary — 393 1,058
Bourke Street Public School, Surry Hills Government Primary — 381 1,135
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School, Marrickville Catholic Primary — 372 1,072
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Daceyville Catholic Primary — 371 1,104
Tempe Public School, Tempe Government Primary — 346 1,096
Erskineville Public School, Erskineville Government Primary — 334 1,155
Camdenville Public School, Newtown Government Primary — 310 1,132
Forest Lodge Public School, Forest Lodge Government Primary — 307 1,161
J J Cahill Memorial High School, Mascot Government Secondary — 298 987
Crown Street Public School, Surry Hills Government Primary — 288 1,114
St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Botany Catholic Primary — 287 1,119
Ferncourt Public School, Marrickville Government Primary — 285 1,125
Fort Street Public School, Sydney Government Primary — 284 1,094
Newtown Public School, Newtown Government Primary — 272 1,140
Banksmeadow Public School, Botany Government Primary — 268 1,032
Botany Public School, Botany Government Primary — 232 1,062
Petersham Public School, Petersham Government Primary — 232 1,137
Matraville Public School, Matraville Government Primary — 222 1,046
Newtown North Public School, Newtown Government Primary — 221 1,132
Marrickville Public School, Marrickville Government Primary — 213 1,090
Darlinghurst Public School, Potts Point Government Primary — 210 1,156
Pagewood Public School, Botany Government Primary — 207 1,085
GOAL College, Ultimo Independent Secondary — 204 1,027
Glebe Public School, Glebe Government Primary — 193 982
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Erskineville Catholic Primary — 169 1,145
Conservatorium High School, Sydney Government Secondary — 156 1,194
Eastlakes Public School, Eastlakes Government Primary — 154 1,046
St Peters Public School, St Peters Government Primary — 154 1,099
St James Catholic Primary School, Glebe Catholic Primary — 152 1,125
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Rosebery Catholic Primary — 150 1,112
Darlington Public School, Chippendale Government Primary — 147 1,030
Central Sydney Intensive English High School, Alexandria Government Secondary — 142 1,037
Australian Performing Arts Grammar School, Glebe Independent Secondary — 129 1,103
Daceyville Public School, Daceyville Government Primary — 126 1,029
Sydney Distance Education Primary School, Surry Hills Government Primary — 124 1,094
St Pius' Catholic Primary School, Enmore Catholic Primary — 121 1,100
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Stanmore Catholic Primary — 116 1,160
Green Square Public School, Zetlands Government Primary — 107 1,122
Australia Street Infants School, Newtown Government Primary — 104 1,143
Macquarie Grammar School, Sydney Independent Secondary — 84 1,027
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School, Waterloo Catholic Primary — 76 938
Plunkett Street Public School, Woolloomooloo Government Primary — 73 968
Key College, Redfern Independent Secondary — 70 909
Westbourne College Sydney, Ultimo Independent Secondary — 65 1,153
The Athena School, Newtown Independent Combined — 52 1,058
St Andrew's Cathedral Gawura School, Sydney Independent Primary — 38 817
Bridge Road School, Camperdown Government Primary — 37 977
Hartford College, Daceyville Independent Combined — 29 1,117
Yudi Gunyi School, Waterloo Government Combined — 29 890
Redfern Jarjum College, Redfern Independent Primary — 25 667
Taverners Hill Infants School, Petersham Government Primary — 20 1,129
Australian International High School, Sydney Independent Secondary — — 1,028
NSW School of Languages, Petersham Government Secondary — — —
Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre, The Rocks Government Combined — — —
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital School, Camperdown 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 Sydney - City and Inner South [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/117/sydney-city-and-inner-south/topic/education