Australia
Qualifications
26.3% of people in Australia had a Bachelor or Higher degree qualification in 2021, higher than Tasmania. This represents an increase of 3,545,193 people since 2001.
Educational Qualifications relate to education outside of primary and secondary school and are one of the most important indicators of socio-economic status. With other data sources, such as Employment Status, Income and Occupation, Australia's Educational Qualifications help to evaluate the economic opportunities and socio-economic status of the area and identify skill gaps in the labour market.
Derived from the Census question:
'What is the level of the highest qualification the person has completed?'
Persons aged 15 years and over
| Highest qualification achieved | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence) | 2021 | 2001 | Change | |||||
| Qualification level | Number | % | Tasmania % | Number | % | Tasmania % | 2001 to 2021 | |
| Bachelor or Higher degree | 5,464,104 | 26.3 | 21.9 | 5001 | 1,918,911 | 12.9 | 9.8 | +3,545,193 |
| Advanced Diploma or Diploma | 1,946,452 | 9.4 | 7.9 | 5002 | 892,362 | 6.0 | 5.0 | +1,054,090 |
| Vocational | 3,961,900 | 19.1 | 21.9 | 5003 | 2,341,929 | 15.8 | 15.2 | +1,619,971 |
| No qualification | 7,642,173 | 36.8 | 40.0 | 5004 | 8,000,027 | 53.8 | 58.6 | -357,854 |
| Not stated | 1,766,208 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 5005 | 1,703,489 | 11.5 | 11.3 | +62,719 |
| Total persons aged 15+ | 20,780,837 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 14,856,718 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +5,924,119 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2001 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
(Usual residence data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the qualifications of the population in Australia in 2021 compared to Tasmania shows that there was a higher proportion of people holding formal qualifications (Bachelor or higher degree; Advanced Diploma or Diploma; or Vocational qualifications), and a lower proportion of people with no formal qualifications.
Overall, 54.7% of the population aged 15 and over held educational qualifications, and 36.8% had no qualifications, compared with 51.7% and 40.0% respectively for Tasmania.
The major differences between qualifications held by the population of Australia and Tasmania were:
- A larger percentage of persons with Bachelor or Higher degrees (26.3% compared to 21.9%)
- A larger percentage of persons with Advanced Diploma or Diplomas (9.4% compared to 7.9%)
- A smaller percentage of persons with No qualifications (36.8% compared to 40.0%)
- A smaller percentage of persons with Vocational qualifications (19.1% compared to 21.9%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the qualifications of the population in Australia between 2001 and 2021 were in those with:
- Bachelor or Higher degrees (+3,545,193 persons)
- Vocational qualifications (+1,619,971 persons)
- Advanced Diploma or Diplomas (+1,054,090 persons)
- No qualifications (-357,854 persons)