idc-logo
svg rectangle color
Sunshine Coast CouncilCommunity profile

Sunshine Coast

Qualifications

reset

24.2% of people in Sunshine Coast had a Vocational qualification in 2021, higher than South East Queensland. This represents an increase of 10,914 people since 2016.

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, Sunshine Coast's Educational Qualifications help to evaluate the economic opportunities and socio-economic status of the area and identify skill gaps in the labour market.

Learn more about planning education provision here.

Q:

Derived from the Census question:

'What is the level of the highest qualification the person has completed?'

Highest qualification achieved
Sunshine Coast - Persons aged 15+ (Usual residence)20212016Change
Qualification levelNumber%South East Queensland %Number%South East Queensland %2016 to 2021
Bachelor or Higher degree60,81821.525.440,75016.921.2+20,068
Advanced Diploma or Diploma30,91110.910.224,46610.29.5+6,445
Vocational68,45424.221.057,54023.920.3+10,914
No qualification99,35135.135.794,45039.239.3+4,901
Not stated23,5188.37.823,7909.99.8-272
Total persons aged 15+283,052100.0100.0240,996100.0100.0+42,056
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 qualifications of the population in Sunshine Coast in 2021 compared to South East Queensland shows that there was a similar 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, 56.6% of the population aged 15 and over held educational qualifications, and 35.1% had no qualifications, compared with 56.6% and 35.7% respectively for South East Queensland.

The major differences between qualifications held by the population of Sunshine Coast and South East Queensland were:

  • A larger percentage of persons with Vocational qualifications (24.2% compared to 21.0%)
  • A smaller percentage of persons with Bachelor or Higher degrees (21.5% compared to 25.4%)

Emerging groups

The largest changes in the qualifications of the population in Sunshine Coast between 2016 and 2021 were in those with:

  • Bachelor or Higher degrees (+20,068 persons)
  • Vocational qualifications (+10,914 persons)
  • Advanced Diploma or Diplomas (+6,445 persons)
  • No qualifications (+4,901 persons)

DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website.

Please view our Privacy Policy, Terms of use and Legal notices.

ABS Data and the copyright in the ABS Data remains the property of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The copyright in the way .id has modified, transformed or reconfigured the ABS Data as published on this website remains the property of .id. ABS Data can be accessed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics at www.abs.gov.au. ABS data can be used under license - terms published on ABS website. intermediary.management@abs.gov.au if you have any queries or wish to distribute any ABS data.