61.0% ▲ +114.2%
Higher than 61% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 28.5%
- 2016: 54.5%
- 2021: 61.0%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Newcastle · State Electorate
Education & Qualifications in Newcastle
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
A huge jump in university degrees defines Newcastle, where 32.7% of adults now hold a bachelor degree or higher. This is well above the national figure and reflects a significant shift in the local workforce over the last decade. The area is now highly qualified, with a strong mix of professional degrees and trade certificates.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
More people in Newcastle have finished high school than in most other areas. Since 2011, the share of residents who completed Year 12 has risen by 33 percentage points to 61.0%.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Newcastle, Year 12 is the majority at 65%; Year 10 is next at 21%.
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
The number of residents with a bachelor degree or higher is well above the New South Wales average. This figure rose 24 percentage points since 2011, and university degrees are now the most common highest qualification at 32.1%.
32.7% ▲ +288.9%
Higher than 75% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 8.4%
- 2016: 27.6%
- 2021: 32.7%
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 Newcastle, the largest group is Bachelor degree at 37%, followed by Certificate III / IV (27%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (16%).
Field of study
What people studied.
Professional fields dominate local qualifications, with management and commerce being the most common at 17.5%. Health and engineering follow closely, each making up over 13% of degrees.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
Newcastle has more schools per child than most areas, with 31 schools within 3km of residents. Most of the 13,816 students are in government schools (61.3%) and primary education (61.3%).
2.67
Higher than 72% of state electorate areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
31
Higher than 78% 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).
13,816
Higher than 83% of state electorate areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
446
Lower than 58% of state electorate areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
1,084
Higher than 78% of state electorate areas.
Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).
Schools serving Newcastle
31 schools — 13,816 students, average ICSEA 1,084.
By sector: Government 19 · Catholic 9 · Independent 3
By type: Primary 19 · Secondary 8 · Combined 4
| Stockton Public School, Stockton | Government | Primary | 2.3 km | 254 | 1,000 |
| Fern Bay Public School, Fern Bay | Government | Primary | 2.5 km | 182 | 1,002 |
| Carrington Public School, Carrington | Government | Primary | 2.8 km | 110 | 996 |
| St Peter's Primary School, Stockton | Catholic | Primary | 2.8 km | 180 | 1,053 |
| Mayfield East Public School, Mayfield East | Government | Primary | 2.9 km | 343 | 1,044 |
| Tighes Hill Public School, Tighes Hill | Government | Primary | 3.3 km | 358 | 1,104 |
| St Dominic's Catholic College, Mayfield | Catholic | Combined | 3.3 km | 43 | 966 |
| San Clemente Catholic College, Mayfield | Catholic | Secondary | 3.4 km | 605 | 1,038 |
| St Columban's Primary School, Mayfield | Catholic | Primary | 3.5 km | 162 | 1,034 |
| Hunter Christian School, Mayfield | Independent | Combined | 3.8 km | 337 | 1,061 |
| Islington Public School, Islington | Government | Primary | 4.0 km | 159 | 1,090 |
| Newcastle Grammar School, The Hill | Independent | Combined | 4.4 km | 1,049 | 1,181 |
| Newcastle East Public School, Newcastle | Government | Primary | 4.5 km | 260 | 1,112 |
| Novoschool, Newcastle West | Independent | Secondary | 4.5 km | 79 | 1,077 |
| Mayfield West Public School, Mayfield | Government | Primary | 4.6 km | 342 | 1,033 |
| St Francis Xavier's College, Hamilton | Catholic | Secondary | 4.8 km | 959 | 1,096 |
| Callaghan College Waratah Campus, Waratah | Government | Secondary | 5.0 km | 848 | 957 |
| Newcastle High School, Hamilton | Government | Secondary | 5.0 km | 1,072 | 1,027 |
| Hamilton Public School, Hamilton | Government | Primary | 5.0 km | 306 | 1,106 |
| Hamilton North Public School, Broadmeadow | Government | Primary | 5.2 km | 123 | 1,030 |
| St Laurence Flexible Learning Centre, Broadmeadow | Catholic | Secondary | 5.3 km | 47 | 869 |
| Hamilton South Public School, Merewether | Government | Primary | 5.4 km | 362 | 1,139 |
| St Joseph's Primary School, Merewether | Catholic | Primary | 5.5 km | 387 | 1,141 |
| The Junction Public School, Merewether | Government | Primary | 5.9 km | 450 | 1,115 |
| Merewether High School, Broadmeadow | Government | Secondary | 6.0 km | 1,080 | 1,206 |
| Lambton High School, Lambton | Government | Secondary | 6.2 km | 1,176 | 1,057 |
| Hunter School of Performing Arts, Broadmeadow | Government | Combined | 6.2 km | 1,094 | 1,085 |
| Adamstown Public School, Adamstown | Government | Primary | 6.5 km | 439 | 1,078 |
| Holy Family Primary School, Merewether Beach | Catholic | Primary | 7.0 km | 198 | 1,132 |
| St Therese's Primary School, New Lambton | Catholic | Primary | 7.1 km | 543 | 1,100 |
| Merewether Heights Public School, Merewether Heights | Government | Primary | 7.4 km | 269 | 1,129 |
Sources
More for Newcastle
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Newcastle [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sed/SED10058/newcastle/topic/education