53.1% ▲ +23.9%
Lower than 57% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 42.9%
- 2016: 47.3%
- 2021: 53.1%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Wollongong · State Electorate
Education & Qualifications in Wollongong
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
More people in Wollongong have finished school and gained degrees than a decade ago, though levels remain below the state average. High school completion rose 10 points since 2011 to reach 53.1%, and the share of adults with a bachelor degree or higher grew by 8 points to 23.8% over the same period.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
Around 53.1% of residents have completed Year 12, which is well below the figures for New South Wales and Australia. Other common highest school years include Year 10 at 22.6% and Year 9 or below at 12.5%.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Wollongong, Year 12 is the majority at 57%; Year 10 is next at 24%.
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
The typical qualification here is a Certificate III or IV (28.5%), followed by bachelor degrees at 25.1%. Overall, the 23.8% of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is a little below the national figure.
23.8% ▲ +50.9%
Higher than 58% of state electorate areas.
- 2011: 15.8%
- 2016: 18.9%
- 2021: 23.8%
Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).
Highest qualification level
View on map →Wollongong splits fairly evenly between Certificate III / IV (34%) and Bachelor degree (30%), with Advanced diploma / diploma at 17%.
Field of study
What people studied.
The most common fields of qualification for residents are management and commerce at 17.8% and engineering and related fields at 16.3%. Other common areas of study include society and culture, health, and education.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
Wollongong has a high number of schools per 1,000 children and 37 schools within 3km, which is more than most areas. Most of these are government primary schools, with an average school size of 329 students.
2.88
Higher than 75% of state electorate areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
37
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).
11,850
Higher than 71% of state electorate areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
329
Lower than 76% of state electorate areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
1,038
Higher than 60% of state electorate areas.
Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).
Schools serving Wollongong
37 schools — 11,850 students, average ICSEA 1,038.
By sector: Government 24 · Independent 8 · Catholic 5
By type: Primary 23 · Secondary 8 · Combined 6
| Cringila Public School, Cringila | Government | Primary | 1.3 km | 163 | 936 |
| Warrawong High School, Warrawong | Government | Secondary | 2.3 km | 591 | 905 |
| Berkeley Public School, Berkeley | Government | Primary | 2.4 km | 259 | 926 |
| St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School, Warrawong | Catholic | Primary | 2.4 km | 149 | 1,013 |
| Warrawong Public School, Warrawong | Government | Primary | 2.5 km | 276 | 891 |
| St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Unanderra | Catholic | Primary | 2.5 km | 371 | 1,066 |
| Illawarra Sports High School, Berkeley | Government | Secondary | 2.6 km | 926 | 937 |
| Mount St Thomas Public School, Wollongong | Government | Primary | 2.7 km | 354 | 1,070 |
| Berkeley West Public School, Berkeley | Government | Primary | 2.9 km | 157 | 868 |
| Farmborough Road Public School, Unanderra | Government | Primary | 2.9 km | 226 | 961 |
| Coniston Public School, Coniston | Government | Primary | 3.1 km | 181 | 990 |
| Lake Heights Public School, Lake Heights | Government | Primary | 3.2 km | 147 | 941 |
| Unanderra Public School, Cordeaux Heights | Government | Primary | 3.4 km | 348 | 992 |
| Cedars Christian College, Unanderra | Independent | Combined | 3.5 km | 661 | 1,067 |
| Cedars Christian College - Aspire, Unanderra | Independent | Combined | 3.6 km | 13 | 1,094 |
| The Illawarra Grammar School, Wollongong West | Independent | Combined | 3.6 km | 970 | 1,159 |
| Craig Davis College, Cordeaux Heights | Independent | Secondary | 3.7 km | 45 | 825 |
| Illawarra Christian School, Cordeaux Heights | Independent | Combined | 3.9 km | 800 | 1,091 |
| St Therese Catholic Primary School, Mangerton | Catholic | Primary | 3.9 km | 368 | 1,090 |
| Novo Education Space, Wollongong | Independent | Secondary | 3.9 km | 44 | 983 |
| Kemblawarra Public School, Port Kembla | Government | Primary | 4.0 km | 153 | 892 |
| Wollongong West Public School, Wollongong | Government | Primary | 4.0 km | 243 | 991 |
| St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Port Kembla | Catholic | Primary | 4.0 km | 177 | 1,058 |
| Illawarra Hospital School, Wollongong | Government | Combined | 4.3 km | — | — |
| Primbee Public School, Primbee | Government | Primary | 4.7 km | 88 | 943 |
| Gwynneville Public School, Gwynneville | Government | Primary | 5.0 km | 271 | 1,065 |
| Wollongong Public School, Wollongong | Government | Primary | 5.0 km | 579 | 1,084 |
| St Mary Star of the Sea College, Wollongong | Independent | Secondary | 5.1 km | 1,128 | 1,104 |
| St Brigid's Catholic Primary School, Gwynneville | Catholic | Primary | 5.1 km | 175 | 1,083 |
| Five Islands Secondary College, Port Kembla | Government | Secondary | 5.3 km | 293 | 983 |
| Port Kembla Public School, Port Kembla | Government | Primary | 5.3 km | 278 | 1,014 |
| Smiths Hill High School, Wollongong | Government | Secondary | 5.4 km | 736 | 1,186 |
| Mount Kembla Public School, Mount Kembla | Government | Primary | 5.6 km | 159 | 1,050 |
| Para Meadows School, North Wollongong | Government | Combined | 5.9 km | 113 | 945 |
| Windang Public School, Windang | Government | Primary | 7.9 km | 203 | 988 |
| Towradgi Public School, Fairy Meadow | Government | Primary | 8.5 km | 134 | 1,031 |
| Wollongong Flexible School, Towradgi | Independent | Secondary | 9.0 km | 71 | 895 |
Sources
More for Wollongong
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Wollongong [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sed/SED10092/wollongong/topic/education