CensusAtlas

Wide Bay · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Wide Bay

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

Far fewer people have finished high school or university in Wide Bay compared to most other areas. Only 38.1% of residents finished Year 12, which is well below the national figure. While university degrees are rare here, the region has seen a slow increase in both school completions and higher qualifications since 2011.

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📍 Wide Bay, Region (SA4)

Where Wide Bay sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

10.8% ▲ +35.2%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Wide Bay — lower than 89% of areas.

Wide Bay10.8%
Rest of Qld 17.1%
Queensland 21.9%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Only 38.1% of people completed Year 12, which is far below the 58.8% national average, though this rose 6.8 points since 2011. About 31.3% of residents stopped at Year 10, while 14.5% finished Year 9 or below.

Completed Year 12

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38.1% ▲ +21.9%

Lower than 85% 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 Wide Bay, the largest group is Year 12 at 42%, followed by Year 10 (34%) and Year 9 or below (16%).

Year 12 38.1% Year 10 31.3% Year 9 or below 14.5% Year 11 7.6%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Just 10.8% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, a figure far below the Australian average of 26.3%. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 40.2% of the population.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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10.8% ▲ +35.2%

Lower than 89% of region (sa4) areas.

Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of qualification in the region are engineering and related studies at 16.5%, followed by management and commerce at 13.5% and society and culture at 11.5%.

Schools

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

Wide Bay has 163 schools, which is more than 90% of similar areas, and 3.29 schools per 1,000 children. Most students attend government schools (79.8%), and the average school size of 282 is lower than in most other areas.

Average school ICSEA

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967

Lower than 82% 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 Wide Bay — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Wide Bay

163 schools — 45,705 students, average ICSEA 967.

By sector: Government 130 · Catholic 17 · Independent 16

By type: Primary 114 · Combined 26 · Secondary 23
Bundaberg State High School, Bundaberg South Government Secondary — 1,593 944
Shalom College, Bundaberg Catholic Secondary — 1,558 1,027
Urangan State High School, Urangan Government Secondary — 1,342 961
Riverside Christian College, Maryborough Independent Combined — 1,329 1,004
Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay Catholic Combined — 1,322 1,021
Hervey Bay State High School, Pialba Government Secondary — 1,280 963
Maryborough State High School, Maryborough Government Secondary — 1,214 952
St Luke's Anglican School, Kalkie Independent Combined — 1,090 1,089
Kepnock State High School, Kepnock Government Secondary — 1,074 927
James Nash State High School, Gympie Government Secondary — 1,027 976
Gympie State High School, Gympie Government Secondary — 1,012 955
Fraser Coast Anglican College, Wondunna Independent Combined — 1,010 1,098
Kingaroy State High School, Kingaroy Government Secondary — 946 942
Kawungan State School, Kawungan Government Primary — 877 976
Victory College, Gympie Independent Combined — 851 1,026
Bundaberg Christian College, Bundaberg Independent Combined — 845 1,039
St James Lutheran College, Urraween Independent Combined — 754 1,038
Yarrilee State School, Urraween Government Primary — 732 965
Sandy Strait State School, Urangan Government Primary — 706 965
St John's Lutheran School, Kingaroy Independent Combined — 692 1,010
Bundaberg North State High School, Bundaberg North Government Secondary — 676 932
Bayside Christian College Hervey Bay, Urraween Independent Combined — 631 1,010
Aldridge State High School, Maryborough Government Secondary — 581 932
Cooloola Christian College, Gympie Independent Combined — 537 1,013
Gympie South State School, Southside Government Primary — 518 955
Norville State School, Norville Government Primary — 518 939
St Patrick's College, Gympie Catholic Secondary — 514 1,037
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Bundaberg West Catholic Primary — 510 1,029
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bundaberg Catholic Primary — 490 995
Nanango State High School, Nanango Government Secondary — 488 911
Jones Hill State School, Jones Hill Government Primary — 482 990
Branyan Road State School, Branyan Government Primary — 453 974
Tinana State School, Tinana Government Primary — 452 961
Gin Gin State High School, Gin Gin Government Secondary — 404 944
Taabinga State School, Kingaroy Government Primary — 394 934
Isis District State High School, Childers Government Secondary — 392 930
Star of the Sea Catholic School, Torquay Catholic Primary — 388 1,010
Bargara State School, Mon Repos Government Primary — 385 992
Gympie West State School, Gympie Government Primary — 384 948
Pialba State School, Pialba Government Primary — 367 901
St Mary's Primary School, Maryborough Catholic Primary — 359 1,005
Walkervale State School, Walkervale Government Primary — 350 900
St Patrick's Primary School, Gympie Catholic Primary — 346 1,039
Woongarra State School, Woongarra Government Primary — 346 969
Nanango State School, Nanango Government Primary — 334 914
St John's Lutheran Primary School, Bundaberg Independent Primary — 333 1,024
Kingaroy State School, Kingaroy Government Primary — 325 908
Kalkie State School, Kalkie Government Primary — 322 972
Murgon State High School, Murgon Government Secondary — 318 818
One Mile State School, Gympie Government Primary — 316 925
St Mary's College, Maryborough Catholic Secondary — 313 1,010
Avoca State School, Avoca Government Primary — 310 957
St Helens State School, St Helens Government Primary — 305 951
Bundaberg East State School, Bundaberg East Government Primary — 295 922
Tin Can Bay State School, Tin Can Bay Government Combined — 294 918
St Mary's Catholic College, Kingaroy Catholic Combined — 288 984
Urangan Point State School, Urangan Government Primary — 272 914
Maryborough West State School, Maryborough Government Primary — 269 918
Bundaberg West State School, Bundaberg West Government Primary — 267 915
Gin Gin State School, Gin Gin Government Primary — 254 929
Bundaberg North State School, Bundaberg North Government Primary — 249 906
Childers State School, Childers Government Primary — 234 924
Chatsworth State School, Chatsworth Government Primary — 221 938
Granville State School, Granville Government Primary — 212 902
Sunbury State School, Maryborough Government Primary — 210 900
Oakwood State School, Oakwood Government Primary — 200 949
Mundubbera State College, Mundubbera Government Combined — 193 933
Torquay State School, Torquay Government Primary — 183 875
Cherbourg State School, Cherbourg Government Primary — 174 626
Gympie East State School, Greens Creek Government Primary — 174 979
Mary Valley State College, Imbil Government Combined — 172 956
Bundaberg South State School, Bundaberg South Government Primary — 168 882
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Bundaberg Catholic Primary — 167 1,003
Howard State School, Howard Government Primary — 163 894
Burnett State College, Gayndah Government Secondary — 158 923
Maryborough Central State School, Maryborough Government Primary — 157 863
Goomeri State School, Goomeri Government Combined — 155 896
Monto State High School, Monto Government Secondary — 149 957
St Joseph's School, Childers Catholic Primary — 149 993
Gooburrum State School, Gooburrum Government Primary — 144 986
Carinity Education - Glendyne, Nikenbah Independent Combined — 142 882
Wondai State School, Wondai Government Combined — 141 885
Gympie Central State School, Gympie Government Primary — 138 931
Monkland State School, Monkland Government Primary — 128 922
Albert State School, Maryborough Government Primary — 126 899
Moore Park Beach State School, Moore Park Beach Government Primary — 126 930
Coolabunia State School, Coolabunia Government Primary — 121 966
Elliott Heads State School, Elliott Heads Government Primary — 121 983
Biggenden State School, Biggenden Government Combined — 116 895
Proston State School, Proston Government Combined — 116 908
Kilkivan State School, Kilkivan Government Combined — 112 934
Monto State School, Monto Government Primary — 111 937
Murgon State School, Murgon Government Primary — 108 865
Bundaberg Special School, Norville Government Combined — 106 961
Torbanlea State School, Torbanlea Government Primary — 106 937
Hervey Bay Special School, Kawungan Government Combined — 105 970
St Joseph's School, Murgon Catholic Primary — 105 800
Eidsvold State School, Eidsvold Government Combined — 104 792
Gympie Flexible School, Gympie Catholic Secondary — 103 880
Blackbutt State School, Blackbutt Government Primary — 99 923
Gayndah State School, Gayndah Government Primary — 97 881
Burnett Heads State School, Burnett Heads Government Primary — 96 976
Thabeban State School, Thabeban Government Primary — 95 858
Two Mile State School, Two Mile Government Primary — 92 913
Cordalba State School, Cordalba Government Primary — 90 946
Gympie Special School, Gympie Government Combined — 88 962
Glenwood State School, Glenwood Government Primary — 85 928
Bundaberg Central State School, Bundaberg Central Government Primary — 82 860
Wheatlands State School, Wheatlands Government Primary — 77 926
Burnett Youth Learning Centre, Elliott Independent Secondary — 76 898
Maryborough Special School, Maryborough Government Combined — 75 946
St Patrick's Primary School, Nanango Catholic Primary — 73 954
Moffatdale State School, Moffatdale Government Primary — 72 923
St Joseph's School, Gayndah Catholic Primary — 71 1,003
Alloway State School, Alloway Government Primary — 63 938
Hope Adventist School, North Bundaberg Independent Primary — 61 999
Kumbia State School, Kumbia Government Primary — 57 961
Parke State School, Tinana South Government Primary — 56 970
Amamoor State School, Amamoor Government Primary — 55 990
Kolan South State School, South Kolan Government Primary — 55 951
Mungar State School, Mungar Government Primary — 55 923
Mount Perry State School, Mount Perry Government Primary — 52 910
Dagun State School, Dagun Government Primary — 50 1,005
Benarkin State School, Benarkin Government Primary — 47 923
Rainbow Beach State School, Rainbow Beach Government Primary — 47 987
Wallaville State School, Wallaville Government Primary — 47 900
Tiaro State School, Tiaro Government Primary — 45 924
Goodwood State School, Goodwood Government Primary — 44 969
Mawarra Independent School, Kybong Independent Combined — 44 1,033
Kia-Ora State School, Kia Ora Government Primary — 43 885
Crawford State School, Crawford Government Primary — 42 913
Gunalda State School, Gunalda Government Primary — 41 956
Maroondan State School, Maroondan Government Primary — 41 955
Bauple State School, Bauple Government Primary — 40 924
St Therese's Catholic Primary School, Monto Catholic Primary — 36 1,000
Widgee State School, Widgee Government Primary — 36 987
Silver Lining School, Ficks Crossing Independent Secondary — 34 745
Boynewood State School, Boynewood Government Primary — 33 985
Kandanga State School, Kandanga Government Primary — 32 997
Bullyard State School, Bullyard Government Primary — 28 912
Coalstoun Lakes State School, Coalstoun Lakes Government Primary — 28 1,006
Abercorn State School, Abercorn Government Primary — 27 1,005
Wooroolin State School, Wooroolin Government Primary — 25 931
Sharon State School, Sharon Government Primary — 21 936
Tingoora State School, Tingoora Government Primary — 21 861
Windera State School, Windera Government Primary — 21 913
McIlwraith State School, Mcilwraith Government Primary — 20 1,020
Mulgildie State School, Mulgildie Government Primary — 20 946
Wolvi State School, Wolvi Government Primary — 19 952
Brooweena State School, Brooweena Government Primary — 17 915
Yandaran State School, Yandaran Government Primary — 17 954
Durong South State School, Durong Government Primary — 16 944
Impact Community ACADEMY, Bundaberg East Independent Secondary — 14 —
Woolooga State School, Woolooga Government Primary — 14 875
Dallarnil State School, Dallarnil Government Primary — 12 1,023
Gundiah State School, Gundiah Government Primary — 11 916
Tanduringie State School, Pimpimbudgee Government Primary — 10 885
Avondale State School, Avondale Government Primary — 9 990
Cloyna State School, Cloyna Government Primary — 9 997
Theebine State School, Theebine Government Primary — 9 —
Booyal Central State School, Booyal Government Primary — 8 976
Binjour Plateau State School, Binjour Government Primary — 4 948
Monogorilby State School, Monogorilby Government Primary — — —

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 Wide Bay [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/319/wide-bay/topic/education