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AustraliaCommunity profile

Greater Melbourne

Highest level of schooling

In Greater Melbourne, 64.3% of people aged over 15 years had completed Year 12 schooling (or equivalent) as of 2021. This was greater than Queensland.

Greater Melbourne's school completion data is a useful indicator of socio-economic status. With other indicators, such as Proficiency in English, the data informs planners and decision-makers about people's ability to access services. Combined with Educational Qualifications it also allows assessment of the skill base of the population.

Learn more about planning education provision here.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'What is the highest year of primary or secondary school the person has completed?'

Highest level of secondary schooling completed
Greater Melbourne - Total persons (Usual residence)20212016Change
Level of schoolingNumber%Queensland %Number%Queensland %2016 to 2021
Year 8 or below177,7044.43.9193,4155.34.8-15,711
Year 9 or equivalent180,8484.54.8178,8754.94.8+1,973
Year 10 or equivalent418,24910.421.2417,94311.422.7+306
Year 11 or equivalent380,6439.57.4374,74710.27.8+5,896
Year 12 or equivalent2,590,70464.355.02,176,82059.450.5+413,884
Did not go to school59,6661.50.648,5681.30.5+11,098
Not stated218,3395.47.1275,1387.59.0-56,799
Total persons aged 15+4,026,153100.0100.03,665,506100.0100.0+360,647
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

Analysis of the highest level of schooling attained by the population in Greater Melbourne in 2021 compared to Queensland shows that there was a lower proportion of people who had left school at an early level (Year 10 or less) and a higher proportion of people who completed Year 12 or equivalent.

Overall, 20.8% of the population left school at Year 10 or below, and 64.3% went on to complete Year 12 or equivalent, compared with 30.5% and 55.0% respectively for Queensland.

The major differences between the level of schooling attained by the population in Greater Melbourne and Queensland were:

  • A larger percentage of persons who completed year 12 or equivalent (64.3% compared to 55.0%)
  • A larger percentage of persons who completed year 11 or equivalent (9.5% compared to 7.4%)
  • A smaller percentage of persons who completed year 10 or equivalent (10.4% compared to 21.2%)

Emerging groups

The largest changes in the level of schooling attained by the population in Greater Melbourne, between 2016 and 2021 were:

  • Year 12 or equivalent (+413,884 persons)
  • Year 8 or below (-15,711 persons)
  • Did not go to school (+11,098 persons)
  • Year 11 or equivalent (+5,896 persons)

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