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Upper Hunter · State Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Upper Hunter

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

Far fewer people in Upper Hunter finished high school compared to the rest of the state. Only 36.3% of residents completed Year 12, which is 23 points lower than the New South Wales figure. While school completion and university degrees have both risen since 2011, the area still trails the national average in formal qualifications.

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📍 Upper Hunter, State Electorate

Where Upper Hunter sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

11.4% ▲ +25.4%

All state electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Upper Hunter — lower than 88% of areas.

Upper Hunter11.4%
Rest of NSW 17.8%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is among the lowest for similar areas at 36.3%, though this rose from 30.7% in 2011. About 34.2% of people stopped at Year 10, and 13.4% left school in Year 9 or earlier.

Completed Year 12

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36.3% ▲ +18.1%

Lower than 91% of state electorate areas.

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

Highest year of school

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Upper Hunter splits fairly evenly between Year 12 (40%) and Year 10 (37%), with Year 9 or below at 15%.

Year 12 36.3% Year 10 34.2% Year 9 or below 13.4% Year 11 7.6%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

University qualifications are much less common here than in most areas, with only 11.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. This is far below the New South Wales figure of 27.8%, while Certificate III or IV is the most common qualification at 42.6%.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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11.4% ▲ +25.4%

Lower than 88% of state electorate 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.

Engineering and related fields are the most popular qualification areas at 22.7%, followed by management and commerce at 15.0%. Health, society and culture, and education make up the next most common fields of study.

Schools

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

Upper Hunter has a high number of schools per 1,000 children, though the average school size of 200 is much lower than most areas. Most students attend government schools (77.6%) and the majority of schools are primary campuses.

Schools within 3 km

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58

Higher than 91% 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).

Average school ICSEA

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936

Lower than 89% of state electorate areas.

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

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

Schools serving Upper Hunter

58 schools — 11,628 students, average ICSEA 936.

By sector: Government 45 · Catholic 9 · Independent 4

By type: Primary 46 · Secondary 7 · Combined 5
St Mary's Primary School, Scone Catholic Primary 3.6 km 138 1,002
Scone High School, Scone Government Secondary 3.9 km 316 894
Scone Public School, Scone Government Primary 4.1 km 400 943
Scone Grammar School, Scone Independent Combined 4.2 km 692 1,025
Aberdeen Public School, Aberdeen Government Primary 14.7 km 151 890
St Joseph's Catholic College, Aberdeen Catholic Secondary 14.8 km 685 968
Belltrees Public School, Belltrees Government Primary 21.9 km 9 927
Muswellbrook Public School, Muswellbrook Government Primary 24.9 km 422 913
Pacific Brook Christian School, Muswellbrook Independent Combined 25.2 km 88 950
Muswellbrook High School, Muswellbrook Government Secondary 26.0 km 648 869
Muswellbrook South Public School, Muswellbrook Government Primary 26.5 km 439 819
St James' Primary School, Muswellbrook Catholic Primary 27.4 km 345 952
Richard Gill School, Muswellbrook Independent Primary 27.7 km 43 996
Blandford Public School, Blandford Government Primary 28.5 km 10 978
Murrurundi Public School, Murrurundi Government Primary 31.0 km 36 893
St Joseph's Primary School, Denman Catholic Primary 44.1 km 42 1,026
Denman Public School, Denman Government Primary 44.1 km 147 949
Ellerston Public School, Ellerston Government Primary 44.8 km 11 935
Willow Tree Public School, Willow Tree Government Primary 45.2 km 51 982
Sandy Hollow Public School, Sandy Hollow Government Primary 46.0 km 23 814
Mount Pleasant Public School, Singleton Government Primary 49.4 km 56 910
Jerrys Plains Public School, Jerrys Plains Government Primary 51.2 km 15 877
Martindale Public School, Martindale Government Primary 52.2 km 7 992
St Joseph's Primary School, Merriwa Catholic Primary 52.6 km 49 1,000
Merriwa Central School, Merriwa Government Combined 53.4 km 221 879
Wallabadah Public School, Wallabadah Government Primary 55.4 km 37 941
St Joseph's Primary School, Quirindi Catholic Primary 62.2 km 74 953
Singleton Heights Public School, Singleton Heights Government Primary 62.2 km 468 920
Quirindi High School, Quirindi Government Secondary 63.0 km 352 891
Quirindi Public School, Quirindi Government Primary 63.5 km 277 904
St Catherine's Catholic College, Singleton Catholic Combined 63.8 km 1,010 974
Singleton Public School, Singleton Government Primary 63.9 km 353 950
King Street Public School, Singleton Government Primary 64.7 km 433 900
Singleton High School, Singleton Government Secondary 64.8 km 877 901
Australian Christian College - Singleton, Singleton Independent Combined 65.6 km 389 1,005
Kirkton Public School, Lower Belford Government Primary 73.5 km 45 926
Gresford Public School, Gresford Government Primary 73.9 km 53 936
Blackville Public School, Blackville Government Primary 76.8 km 9 914
Walhallow Public School, Caroona Government Primary 84.3 km 10 692
Vacy Public School, Vacy Government Primary 84.8 km 106 946
Cassilis Public School, Cassilis Government Primary 87.4 km 11 959
Dungog High School, Dungog Government Secondary 89.2 km 566 937
St Joseph's Primary School, Dungog Catholic Primary 89.7 km 142 986
Martins Creek Public School, Martins Creek Government Primary 89.8 km 5 —
Dungog Public School, Dungog Government Primary 90.3 km 191 914
Paterson Public School, Paterson Government Primary 91.7 km 104 1,027
Spring Ridge Public School, Spring Ridge Government Primary 94.2 km 25 1,004
Barrington Public School, Barrington Government Primary 95.2 km 52 966
Stratford Public School, Stratford Government Primary 98.0 km 15 904
Gloucester High School, Gloucester Government Secondary 99.5 km 309 950
St Joseph's Primary School, Gloucester Catholic Primary 99.6 km 35 1,030
Gloucester Public School, Gloucester Government Primary 99.7 km 275 955
Glen William Public School, Clarence Town Government Primary 100.2 km 27 945
Clarence Town Public School, Clarence Town Government Primary 102.5 km 158 980
Stroud Road Public School, Stroud Road Government Primary 102.8 km 9 948
Stroud Public School, Stroud Government Primary 107.7 km 71 931
Booral Public School, Booral Government Primary 110.6 km 84 938
Premer Public School, Premer Government Primary 114.8 km 12 822

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 Upper Hunter [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sed/SED10085/upper-hunter/topic/education