Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia
Australia: Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population was 55.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia, 1971–2024
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in cumulative.
Analysis
The most recent figure for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia is 55.8%, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia peaked at 58.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 1971.
That places Australia 13th out of 111 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 10.0% | — |
| 2001 | 37.5% | +275.3% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 40.7% | +5.8% |
| 2004 | 35.7% | -12.2% |
| 2005 | 36.1% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 38.5% | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 39.5% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 42.8% | +8.3% |
| 2009 | 43.8% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 45.1% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 46.6% | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 50.1% | +7.5% |
| 2013 | 45.8% | -8.6% |
| 2014 | 47.4% | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 49.3% | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 50.1% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 51.8% | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 53.0% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 53.6% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 56.1% | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 56.5% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 58.4% | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 55.7% | -4.7% |
| 2024 | 55.8% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 1 |
| 2000s | 39.2% | 35.7% | 43.8% | 9 |
| 2010s | 49.3% | 45.1% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.5% | 55.7% | 58.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More education data for Australia
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 105,469 (1999)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia?
- Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia was 55.8% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 58.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 1971.
- How does Australia rank for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population?
- Australia ranks 13th out of 111 countries with data for 2024.
- Is educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed post-secondary non-tertiary education.