CensusAtlas

Sunshine Coast · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Sunshine Coast

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

A jump of 10 percentage points in Year 12 completion since 2011 marks a significant educational shift for the Sunshine Coast. More people are finishing school and gaining higher degrees than in the past, though university qualification rates still trail the national figure.

Open map →
📍 Sunshine Coast, Region (SA4)

Where Sunshine Coast sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

21.7% ▲ +52.3%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Sunshine Coast — higher than 60% of areas.

Sunshine Coast21.7%
Rest of Qld 17.1%
Queensland 21.9%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

About 56.5% of residents have finished Year 12, which is higher than most areas and roughly the same as the Queensland average. This represents a steady climb from 46.3% in 2011.

Completed Year 12

View on map →

56.5% ▲ +22.1%

Higher than 64% of region (sa4) areas.

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

Highest year of school

View on map →

In Sunshine Coast, Year 12 is the majority at 60%; Year 10 is next at 24%.

Year 12 56.5% Year 10 22.5% Year 11 7.6% Year 9 or below 6.8%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Bachelor degrees or higher are held by 21.7% of adults, a figure that is well below the Australian average but has grown by 7.4 points since 2011. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 31.5% of people.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

View on map →

21.7% ▲ +52.3%

Higher than 60% 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

View on map →

In Sunshine Coast, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 38%, followed by Bachelor degree (28%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (20%).

Certificate III / IV 31.5% Bachelor degree 23.3% Advanced diploma / diploma 16.9% Postgraduate degree 6.3% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.7% Certificate I / II 2.0%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common areas of study are management and commerce at 17%, followed by engineering and related fields at 13.2% and health at 12.6%.

Schools

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

Local schools are much larger than most areas, with an average size of 665 students. Despite having 97 schools, the number of schools per 1,000 children is much lower than most areas.

Average school ICSEA

View on map →

1,050

Higher than 72% 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 Sunshine Coast — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Sunshine Coast

97 schools — 64,534 students, average ICSEA 1,050.

By sector: Government 64 · Independent 21 · Catholic 12

By type: Primary 53 · Combined 27 · Secondary 17
Chancellor State College, Sippy Downs Government Combined — 2,609 1,042
Kawana Waters State College, Bokarina Government Combined — 2,495 1,034
Mountain Creek State High School, Mountain Creek Government Secondary — 2,091 1,043
Meridan State College, Meridan Plains Government Combined — 1,795 1,013
Coolum State High School, Coolum Beach Government Secondary — 1,551 1,040
Sunshine Coast Grammar School, Forest Glen Independent Combined — 1,472 1,133
Nambour State College, Nambour Government Combined — 1,469 977
St Andrew's Anglican College, Peregian Springs Independent Combined — 1,459 1,143
Unity College, Caloundra West Catholic Combined — 1,450 1,065
Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Buderim Independent Combined — 1,426 1,155
Sunshine Beach State High School, Sunshine Beach Government Secondary — 1,405 1,043
Caloundra State High School, Caloundra Government Secondary — 1,316 1,004
Nambour Christian College, Woombye Independent Combined — 1,309 1,083
Good Samaritan Catholic College, Bli Bli Catholic Combined — 1,246 1,050
Immanuel Lutheran College, Buderim Independent Combined — 1,239 1,120
Maroochydore State High School, Maroochydore Government Secondary — 1,205 1,011
Pacific Lutheran College, Meridan Plains Independent Combined — 1,204 1,114
Buderim Mountain State School, Buderim Government Primary — 1,183 1,096
Glasshouse Christian College, Beerwah Independent Combined — 1,180 1,039
Suncoast Christian College, Woombye Independent Combined — 1,136 1,084
Good Shepherd Lutheran College, Noosaville Independent Combined — 1,121 1,117
Peregian Springs State School, Peregian Springs Government Primary — 1,028 1,059
Coolum State School, Coolum Beach Government Primary — 1,004 1,046
Talara Primary College, Currimundi Government Primary — 974 1,035
Baringa State Primary School, Baringa Government Primary — 930 1,032
St John's College, Nambour Catholic Secondary — 927 1,059
Siena Catholic College, Sippy Downs Catholic Secondary — 889 1,073
Noosa District State High School, Cooroy Government Secondary — 882 1,012
Beerwah State High School, Beerwah Government Secondary — 855 970
Burnside State High School, Burnside Government Secondary — 809 988
Mooloolaba State School, Mooloolaba Government Primary — 807 1,064
St Teresa's Catholic College, Noosaville Catholic Secondary — 801 1,066
Mountain Creek State School, Mountain Creek Government Primary — 778 1,041
Buddina State School, Buddina Government Primary — 742 1,057
Stella Maris School, Maroochydore Catholic Primary — 737 1,081
Brightwater State School, Mountain Creek Government Primary — 733 1,055
Sunshine Beach State School, Sunshine Beach Government Primary — 706 1,083
Baringa State Secondary College, Baringa Government Secondary — 677 1,007
Nirimba State Primary School, Nirimba Government Primary — 665 1,023
Maleny State High School, Maleny Government Secondary — 647 1,029
Currimundi State School, Currimundi Government Primary — 619 1,041
Siena Catholic Primary School, Sippy Downs Catholic Primary — 616 1,081
Bli Bli State School, Bli Bli Government Primary — 615 1,005
Kuluin State School, Kuluin Government Primary — 612 1,018
Palmview State Primary School, Palmview Government Primary — 596 1,037
Eumundi State School, Eumundi Government Primary — 578 1,052
St Thomas More Primary School, Sunshine Beach Catholic Primary — 578 1,086
Tewantin State School, Tewantin Government Primary — 560 1,018
Golden Beach State School, Golden Beach Government Primary — 548 1,015
Coolum Beach Christian College, Coolum Beach Independent Combined — 491 1,081
Palmwoods State School, Palmwoods Government Primary — 485 1,030
Caloundra State School, Caloundra Government Primary — 481 1,027
Noosa Christian College, Cooroy Independent Combined — 478 1,060
Pacific Paradise State School, Pacific Paradise Government Primary — 467 1,024
Chevallum State School, Chevallum Government Primary — 456 1,054
Caloundra Christian College, Caloundra Independent Combined — 438 1,058
Woombye State School, Woombye Government Primary — 423 1,014
Noosaville State School, Noosaville Government Primary — 418 1,039
Maleny State School, Maleny Government Primary — 409 1,050
Palmview State Secondary College, Palmview Government Secondary — 379 1,021
Glass House Mountains State School, Glass House Mountains Government Primary — 376 998
Burnside State School, Burnside Government Primary — 368 984
Yandina State School, Yandina Government Primary — 365 1,004
North Arm State School, North Arm Government Primary — 356 1,031
Peregian Beach College, Peregian Beach Independent Combined — 347 1,069
St Joseph's Primary School, Nambour Catholic Primary — 341 1,045
Cooroy State School, Cooroy Government Primary — 336 1,006
Noosa Pengari Steiner School, Doonan Independent Combined — 324 1,089
Our Lady of the Rosary School, Caloundra Catholic Primary — 321 1,092
Landsborough State School, Landsborough Government Primary — 316 989
Montessori International College, Forest Glen Independent Combined — 276 1,104
Pomona State School, Pomona Government Primary — 272 1,023
Glenview State School, Glenview Government Primary — 251 1,062
Mooloolah State School, Mooloolah Valley Government Primary — 230 1,012
Caloundra City Private School, Pelican Waters Independent Combined — 228 1,095
The Industry School - Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore Independent Secondary — 226 1,054
Maroochydore State School, Maroochydore Government Primary — 222 969
Beerwah State School, Beerwah Government Primary — 220 950
Notre Dame College, Bells Creek Catholic Combined — 216 1,066
Currimundi Special School, Dicky Beach Government Combined — 177 1,006
Mapleton State School, Mapleton Government Primary — 177 1,048
Cooran State School, Cooran Government Primary — 139 1,014
Nambour Special School, Burnside Government Combined — 132 1,002
Eudlo State School, Eudlo Government Primary — 110 1,007
Blackall Range Independent School, Kureelpa Independent Combined — 108 1,039
Peachester State School, Peachester Government Primary — 104 1,001
Noosa Flexible School, Sunshine Beach Catholic Secondary — 102 958
Palmview State Special School, Palmview Government Combined — 102 1,023
Beerburrum State School, Beerburrum Government Primary — 101 945
Montville State School, Montville Government Primary — 91 1,072
The River School, Maleny Independent Primary — 77 1,074
My Independent School, Beerwah Independent Secondary — 69 996
Montessori Noosa, Sunshine Beach Independent Primary — 58 1,057
Federal State School, Federal Government Primary — 55 981
Kin Kin State School, Kin Kin Government Primary — 51 1,003
Conondale State School, Conondale Government Primary — 47 970
Kenilworth State Community College, Kenilworth Government Primary — 44 983

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 Sunshine Coast

Full area profile →

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Sunshine Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/316/sunshine-coast/topic/education