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Surry Hills · Suburb / Locality

Education & Qualifications in Surry Hills

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

Over half of all adults in Surry Hills hold a bachelor's degree or higher, making it one of the most qualified areas in the country. This high level of achievement is seen across the board, from university degrees to high school completion rates. The area is a hub of professional and academic attainment.

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📍 Surry Hills, Suburb / Locality

Where Surry Hills sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

54.9% ▲ +30.7%

All suburb / locality areas, 2021. The marker is Surry Hills — higher than 99% of areas.

Surry Hills54.9%
2010, NSW 55.4%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

School completion is very high here, with 80.2% of residents finishing Year 12. This is far above the 58.8% national figure and the New South Wales rate of 58.9%.

Completed Year 12

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80.2% ▲ +15.3%

Higher than 99% of suburb / locality areas.

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

Highest year of school

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In Surry Hills, Year 12 is the majority at 88%; Year 10 is next at 6%.

Year 12 80.2% Year 10 5.3% Year 9 or below 3.3% Year 11 2.7%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

A striking 54.9% of adults have a bachelor degree or higher, which is far above the Australian average of 26.3%. This includes 19.5% of residents with a postgraduate degree.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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54.9% ▲ +30.7%

Higher than 99% of suburb / locality 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 areas of study are management and commerce at 25.9%, followed by society and culture at 16.8% and creative arts at 10.7%.

Schools

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

Local schools are larger than most, with an average size of 448 students and a high school advantage score of 1,146. There are 64 schools within 3 km, with government schools making up 53.1% of the sector.

Schools within 3 km

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64

Higher than 94% of suburb / locality areas.

Schools serving the area — within 3 km of small areas, or inside larger ones. A measure of access (catchments overlap, so don't add it across areas).

Average school ICSEA

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1,146

Higher than 99% of suburb / locality areas.

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

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

Schools serving Surry Hills

64 schools — 27,341 students, average ICSEA 1,146.

By sector: Government 34 · Independent 20 · Catholic 10

By type: Primary 32 · Secondary 19 · Combined 13
Sydney Distance Education Primary School, Surry Hills Government Primary 0.3 km 124 1,094
Crown Street Public School, Surry Hills Government Primary 0.5 km 288 1,114
Inner Sydney High School, Surry Hills Government Secondary 0.7 km 1,161 1,104
Bourke Street Public School, Surry Hills Government Primary 0.9 km 381 1,135
Australian International High School, Sydney Independent Secondary 1.1 km — 1,028
Sydney Grammar School, Darlinghurst Independent Secondary 1.1 km 1,925 1,274
GOAL College, Ultimo Independent Secondary 1.1 km 204 1,027
Westbourne College Sydney, Ultimo Independent Secondary 1.2 km 65 1,153
Redfern Jarjum College, Redfern Independent Primary 1.2 km 25 667
Sydney Boys High School, Moore Park Government Secondary 1.2 km 1,205 1,189
SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Darlinghurst Independent Combined 1.2 km 936 1,209
St Andrew's Cathedral School, Sydney Independent Combined 1.3 km 1,436 1,189
St Andrew's Cathedral Gawura School, Sydney Independent Primary 1.3 km 38 817
Darlinghurst Public School, Potts Point Government Primary 1.4 km 210 1,156
Key College, Redfern Independent Secondary 1.4 km 70 909
International Grammar School, Ultimo Independent Combined 1.4 km 1,224 1,170
Sydney Girls High School, Surry Hills Government Secondary 1.5 km 929 1,193
Ultimo Public School, Ultimo Government Primary 1.5 km 483 1,088
St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney Catholic Combined 1.5 km 937 1,125
Australian Performing Arts Grammar School, Glebe Independent Secondary 1.5 km 129 1,103
Macquarie Grammar School, Sydney Independent Secondary 1.6 km 84 1,027
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School, Waterloo Catholic Primary 1.7 km 76 938
Glebe Public School, Glebe Government Primary 1.8 km 193 982
Plunkett Street Public School, Woolloomooloo Government Primary 1.8 km 73 968
Sydney Distance Education High School, Woolloomooloo Government Secondary 1.8 km 615 1,032
Glenmore Road Public School, Paddington Government Primary 1.9 km 263 1,176
Paddington Public School, Paddington Government Primary 1.9 km 147 1,155
St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School, Paddington Catholic Primary 2.0 km 151 1,167
Darlington Public School, Chippendale Government Primary 2.1 km 147 1,030
St Vincent's College, Potts Point Independent Secondary 2.1 km 755 1,145
Alexandria Park Community School, Alexandria Government Combined 2.2 km 1,313 1,052
Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus, Glebe Government Secondary 2.3 km 798 1,094
Yudi Gunyi School, Waterloo Government Combined 2.3 km 29 890
Central Sydney Intensive English High School, Alexandria Government Secondary 2.3 km 142 1,037
Conservatorium High School, Sydney Government Secondary 2.4 km 156 1,194
St James Catholic Primary School, Glebe Catholic Primary 2.4 km 152 1,125
Newtown North Public School, Newtown Government Primary 2.4 km 221 1,132
Ascham School, Edgecliff Independent Combined 2.6 km 1,182 1,217
Forest Lodge Public School, Forest Lodge Government Primary 2.6 km 307 1,161
Fort Street Public School, Sydney Government Primary 2.7 km 284 1,094
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Erskineville Catholic Primary 2.7 km 169 1,145
Green Square Public School, Zetlands Government Primary 2.7 km 107 1,122
Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre, The Rocks Government Combined 2.8 km — —
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital School, Camperdown Government Combined 2.8 km — —
Erskineville Public School, Erskineville Government Primary 2.9 km 334 1,155
Woollahra Public School, Woollahra Government Primary 2.9 km 667 1,193
St Scholastica's College Glebe Point, Glebe Independent Secondary 2.9 km 1,044 1,138
Double Bay Public School, Double Bay Government Primary 3.0 km 237 1,135
Kensington Public School, Kensington Government Primary 3.2 km 381 1,120
Bridge Road School, Camperdown Government Primary 3.2 km 37 977
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Kensington Catholic Primary 3.3 km 412 1,145
Australia Street Infants School, Newtown Government Primary 3.3 km 104 1,143
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College, Kensington Catholic Secondary 3.3 km 702 1,083
Newtown Public School, Newtown Government Primary 3.3 km 272 1,140
Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Newtown Government Secondary 3.4 km 1,145 1,127
Mackillop Education Waranara School, Annandale Independent Secondary 3.4 km 85 1,019
The Athena School, Newtown Independent Combined 3.5 km 52 1,058
Nicholson Street Public School, Balmain East Government Primary 3.5 km 95 1,151
Moriah College, Bondi Junction Independent Combined 3.6 km 1,339 1,141
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School, Annandale Catholic Primary 3.6 km 155 1,166
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Rosebery Catholic Primary 3.7 km 150 1,112
St Margaret Mary's Catholic Primary School, Randwick North Catholic Primary 4.0 km 139 1,134
The Joseph Varga School, Randwick Independent Combined 4.0 km 8 1,119
Emanuel School, Randwick Independent Combined 4.0 km 849 1,186

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 Surry Hills [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13714/surry-hills/topic/education