82.6% ▲ +17.9%
Higher than 99% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 70.0%
- 2016: 76.0%
- 2021: 82.6%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Sydney · Suburb / Locality
Education & Qualifications in Sydney
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
Nearly half of adults in Sydney hold a bachelor degree or higher, marking it as one of the most qualified areas in the country. This high level of achievement is seen across the board, with school and university attainment far exceeding state and national figures.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
Schooling levels are very high here, with 82.6% of residents completing Year 12. This is far above the New South Wales figure of 58.9% and the national average of 58.8%.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Sydney, Year 12 is the majority at 90%; Year 9 or below is next at 4%.
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
A striking 49.2% of adults have a bachelor degree or higher, which is far above the 26.3% seen across Australia. The most common qualification is a bachelor degree, held by 40.5% of the population.
49.2% ▲ +28.1%
Higher than 99% of suburb / locality areas.
- 2011: 38.4%
- 2016: 41.8%
- 2021: 49.2%
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 Sydney, the largest group is Bachelor degree at 47%, followed by Advanced diploma / diploma (22%) and Postgraduate degree (21%).
Field of study
What people studied.
The most popular field of study is management and commerce at 37.1%. Other common qualifications include society and culture (11.3%), information technology (6.9%), and engineering (6.8%).
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
The area has a high number of schools, with 72 within 3 km and 7.1 schools per 1,000 children. These schools are typically much larger than those in most other areas, with an average size of 565 students.
7.10
Higher than 67% of suburb / locality areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
72
Higher than 96% 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).
565
Higher than 80% of suburb / locality areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
1,161
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 serving Sydney
72 schools — 38,989 students, average ICSEA 1,161.
By sector: Government 39 · Independent 25 · Catholic 8
By type: Primary 36 · Secondary 23 · Combined 13
| St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney | Catholic | Combined | 0.5 km | 937 | 1,125 |
| Macquarie Grammar School, Sydney | Independent | Secondary | 0.5 km | 84 | 1,027 |
| Conservatorium High School, Sydney | Government | Secondary | 0.6 km | 156 | 1,194 |
| St Andrew's Cathedral Gawura School, Sydney | Independent | Primary | 0.8 km | 38 | 817 |
| St Andrew's Cathedral School, Sydney | Independent | Combined | 0.8 km | 1,436 | 1,189 |
| Sydney Grammar School, Darlinghurst | Independent | Secondary | 0.8 km | 1,925 | 1,274 |
| Australian International High School, Sydney | Independent | Secondary | 0.9 km | — | 1,028 |
| Fort Street Public School, Sydney | Government | Primary | 1.0 km | 284 | 1,094 |
| Plunkett Street Public School, Woolloomooloo | Government | Primary | 1.0 km | 73 | 968 |
| Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre, The Rocks | Government | Combined | 1.0 km | — | — |
| Sydney Distance Education High School, Woolloomooloo | Government | Secondary | 1.1 km | 615 | 1,032 |
| SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Darlinghurst | Independent | Combined | 1.2 km | 936 | 1,209 |
| St Vincent's College, Potts Point | Independent | Secondary | 1.4 km | 755 | 1,145 |
| Ultimo Public School, Ultimo | Government | Primary | 1.6 km | 483 | 1,088 |
| Westbourne College Sydney, Ultimo | Independent | Secondary | 1.6 km | 65 | 1,153 |
| GOAL College, Ultimo | Independent | Secondary | 1.7 km | 204 | 1,027 |
| Crown Street Public School, Surry Hills | Government | Primary | 1.7 km | 288 | 1,114 |
| Darlinghurst Public School, Potts Point | Government | Primary | 1.7 km | 210 | 1,156 |
| International Grammar School, Ultimo | Independent | Combined | 2.1 km | 1,224 | 1,170 |
| Sydney Distance Education Primary School, Surry Hills | Government | Primary | 2.1 km | 124 | 1,094 |
| Nicholson Street Public School, Balmain East | Government | Primary | 2.1 km | 95 | 1,151 |
| St Aloysius' College, Kirribilli | Independent | Secondary | 2.2 km | 1,347 | 1,223 |
| Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus, Glebe | Government | Secondary | 2.2 km | 798 | 1,094 |
| Australian Performing Arts Grammar School, Glebe | Independent | Secondary | 2.4 km | 129 | 1,103 |
| Loreto Kirribilli, Kirribilli | Independent | Combined | 2.4 km | 1,176 | 1,189 |
| Glenmore Road Public School, Paddington | Government | Primary | 2.4 km | 263 | 1,176 |
| Inner Sydney High School, Surry Hills | Government | Secondary | 2.4 km | 1,161 | 1,104 |
| Glebe Public School, Glebe | Government | Primary | 2.5 km | 193 | 982 |
| Bourke Street Public School, Surry Hills | Government | Primary | 2.6 km | 381 | 1,135 |
| Fr John Therry Catholic Primary School Balmain - Rozelle, Balmain | Catholic | Primary | 2.6 km | 349 | 1,170 |
| St James Catholic Primary School, Glebe | Catholic | Primary | 2.7 km | 152 | 1,125 |
| Balmain Public School, Balmain | Government | Primary | 2.7 km | 321 | 1,172 |
| Ascham School, Edgecliff | Independent | Combined | 2.8 km | 1,182 | 1,217 |
| Sydney Boys High School, Moore Park | Government | Secondary | 2.8 km | 1,205 | 1,189 |
| Paddington Public School, Paddington | Government | Primary | 2.9 km | 147 | 1,155 |
| Redfern Jarjum College, Redfern | Independent | Primary | 2.9 km | 25 | 667 |
| Key College, Redfern | Independent | Secondary | 2.9 km | 70 | 909 |
| St Scholastica's College Glebe Point, Glebe | Independent | Secondary | 2.9 km | 1,044 | 1,138 |
| Double Bay Public School, Double Bay | Government | Primary | 2.9 km | 237 | 1,135 |
| St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School, Paddington | Catholic | Primary | 3.0 km | 151 | 1,167 |
| Inner Sydney Montessori School, Balmain | Independent | Primary | 3.0 km | 95 | 1,178 |
| Sydney Girls High School, Surry Hills | Government | Secondary | 3.1 km | 929 | 1,193 |
| Forest Lodge Public School, Forest Lodge | Government | Primary | 3.1 km | 307 | 1,161 |
| SHORE - Sydney Church of England Grammar School, North Sydney | Independent | Secondary | 3.2 km | 1,724 | 1,205 |
| Darlington Public School, Chippendale | Government | Primary | 3.4 km | 147 | 1,030 |
| Birchgrove Public School, Balmain | Government | Primary | 3.5 km | 214 | 1,132 |
| Newtown North Public School, Newtown | Government | Primary | 3.5 km | 221 | 1,132 |
| Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School, Waterloo | Catholic | Primary | 3.5 km | 76 | 938 |
| Woollahra Public School, Woollahra | Government | Primary | 3.5 km | 667 | 1,193 |
| Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College, North Sydney | Independent | Secondary | 3.6 km | 1,186 | 1,179 |
| Royal Prince Alfred Hospital School, Camperdown | Government | Combined | 3.6 km | — | — |
| Annandale North Public School, Annandale | Government | Primary | 3.7 km | 359 | 1,148 |
| North Sydney Public School, Waverton | Government | Primary | 3.7 km | 756 | 1,144 |
| Wenona School, North Sydney | Independent | Combined | 3.8 km | 1,385 | 1,187 |
| Rozelle Public School, Rozelle | Government | Primary | 3.8 km | 507 | 1,162 |
| Alexandria Park Community School, Alexandria | Government | Combined | 3.8 km | 1,313 | 1,052 |
| Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus, Rozelle | Government | Secondary | 3.9 km | 854 | 1,112 |
| Central Sydney Intensive English High School, Alexandria | Government | Secondary | 3.9 km | 142 | 1,037 |
| Cranbrook School, Bellevue Hill | Independent | Secondary | 3.9 km | 1,693 | 1,181 |
| Bridge Road School, Camperdown | Government | Primary | 3.9 km | 37 | 977 |
| Cameragal Montessori School, North Sydney | Independent | Primary | 3.9 km | 40 | 1,179 |
| Mackillop Education Waranara School, Annandale | Independent | Secondary | 4.0 km | 85 | 1,019 |
| Neutral Bay Public School, Neutral Bay | Government | Primary | 4.0 km | 641 | 1,169 |
| St Brendan's Catholic Primary School, Annandale | Catholic | Primary | 4.1 km | 155 | 1,166 |
| Marist Catholic College North Shore, North Sydney | Catholic | Combined | 4.1 km | 1,609 | 1,166 |
| Yudi Gunyi School, Waterloo | Government | Combined | 4.1 km | 29 | 890 |
| Cammeraygal High School, Crows Nest | Government | Secondary | 4.1 km | 905 | 1,135 |
| St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Erskineville | Catholic | Primary | 4.1 km | 169 | 1,145 |
| Annandale Public School, Annandale | Government | Primary | 4.2 km | 363 | 1,145 |
| SCECGS Redlands, Cremorne | Independent | Combined | 4.3 km | 1,680 | 1,190 |
| Erskineville Public School, Erskineville | Government | Primary | 4.3 km | 334 | 1,155 |
| Australia Street Infants School, Newtown | Government | Primary | 4.3 km | 104 | 1,143 |
Sources
More for Sydney
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Sydney [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13730/sydney/topic/education