42.6% ▼ -19.0%
Lower than 80% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 52.6%
- 2016: 37.9%
- 2021: 42.6%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Lake Macquarie · State Electorate
Education & Qualifications in Lake Macquarie
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
Far fewer residents in Lake Macquarie have completed high school or university compared to most similar areas. Only 42.6% of people finished Year 12, a figure that is far below the New South Wales average. This gap in formal schooling is reflected in the low number of university degrees held by adults in the region.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
The proportion of people who completed Year 12 has fallen 10 points since 2011 to 42.6%. This is far below the national figure of 58.8%, with 32.2% of residents listing Year 10 as their highest year of school.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Lake Macquarie, the largest group is Year 12 at 45%, followed by Year 10 (34%) and Year 9 or below (13%).
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
University qualifications are less common here than in most areas, with only 16.9% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is well below the Australian figure of 26.3% and has barely changed since 2011.
16.9% ▲ +0.6%
Lower than 65% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 16.8%
- 2016: 14.2%
- 2021: 16.9%
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 Lake Macquarie, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 45%, followed by Bachelor degree (23%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (19%).
Field of study
What people studied.
The most common fields of qualification for residents are Engineering and related fields at 18.1%, followed by Management and commerce at 17.5%. Health and Society and culture also make up significant shares of local degrees.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
There are 36 schools within 3km, which is more than about 88% of similar areas. Most students attend government schools, which make up 77.8% of the sector, though the average school size of 282 is much lower than in most areas.
2.65
Higher than 72% of state electorate areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
36
Higher than 86% of state electorate 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).
10,149
Higher than 56% of state electorate areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
282
Lower than 81% of state electorate areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
987
Lower than 70% of state electorate areas.
Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).
Schools serving Lake Macquarie
36 schools — 10,149 students, average ICSEA 987.
By sector: Government 28 · Independent 5 · Catholic 3
By type: Primary 26 · Combined 5 · Secondary 5
| Dora Creek Public School, Dora Creek | Government | Primary | 3.3 km | 139 | 939 |
| Avondale School, Cooranbong | Independent | Combined | 3.8 km | 977 | 1,055 |
| Heritage College Lake Macquarie, Morisset | Independent | Combined | 5.5 km | 511 | 1,002 |
| Awaba Public School, Awaba | Government | Primary | 5.5 km | 29 | 940 |
| Morisset Public School, Morisset | Government | Primary | 6.1 km | 156 | 919 |
| Morisset High School, Morisset | Government | Secondary | 6.3 km | 687 | 929 |
| Toronto Adventist School, Toronto | Independent | Primary | 6.4 km | 43 | 1,173 |
| Cooranbong Public School, Cooranbong | Government | Primary | 6.6 km | 330 | 948 |
| St John Vianney Primary School, Morisset | Catholic | Primary | 6.8 km | 118 | 961 |
| Bonnells Bay Public School, Bonnells Bay | Government | Primary | 7.3 km | 376 | 925 |
| Arcadia Vale Public School, Arcadia Vale | Government | Primary | 7.6 km | 171 | 971 |
| St Joseph's Primary School, Kilaben Bay | Catholic | Primary | 7.9 km | 194 | 1,023 |
| Brightwaters Christian College, Brightwaters | Independent | Combined | 8.0 km | 106 | 1,001 |
| Rathmines Public School, Rathmines | Government | Primary | 8.2 km | 311 | 996 |
| Biraban Public School, Toronto | Government | Primary | 8.3 km | 163 | 871 |
| Wangi Wangi Public School, Wangi Wangi | Government | Primary | 8.7 km | 181 | 987 |
| Toronto High School, Toronto | Government | Secondary | 8.8 km | 952 | 961 |
| Blackalls Park Public School, Blackalls Park | Government | Primary | 9.1 km | 217 | 966 |
| Toronto Public School, Toronto | Government | Primary | 9.8 km | 201 | 910 |
| Charlton Christian College, Fassifern | Independent | Combined | 10.1 km | 831 | 1,063 |
| Coal Point Public School, Coal Point | Government | Primary | 10.2 km | 245 | 1,065 |
| Fassifern Public School, Fassifern | Government | Primary | 10.6 km | 59 | 947 |
| Fennell Bay Public School, Fennell Bay | Government | Primary | 11.3 km | 159 | 889 |
| Wakefield School, Wakefield | Government | Secondary | 11.9 km | 31 | 869 |
| St Paul's Catholic College, Booragul | Catholic | Secondary | 12.8 km | 636 | 1,026 |
| Five Islands School, Booragul | Government | Combined | 13.2 km | 51 | 890 |
| Booragul Public School, Booragul | Government | Primary | 13.3 km | 206 | 931 |
| Lake Macquarie High School, Booragul | Government | Secondary | 13.3 km | 435 | 925 |
| Teralba Public School, Teralba | Government | Primary | 13.7 km | 111 | 959 |
| Wyee Public School, Wyee | Government | Primary | 14.0 km | 193 | 955 |
| Speers Point Public School, Speers Point | Government | Primary | 15.1 km | 256 | 1,000 |
| Boolaroo Public School, Boolaroo | Government | Primary | 15.7 km | 99 | 981 |
| Biddabah Public School, Warners Bay | Government | Primary | 16.0 km | 348 | 1,065 |
| Argenton Public School, Argenton | Government | Primary | 17.2 km | 46 | 934 |
| Cardiff South Public School, Cardiff South | Government | Primary | 18.6 km | 298 | 1,017 |
| Cardiff Public School, Cardiff | Government | Primary | 18.6 km | 283 | 1,000 |
Sources
More for Lake Macquarie
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Lake Macquarie [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sed/SED10042/lake-macquarie/topic/education