Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia
Australia: Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population was 52.4% 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
Australia recorded 52.4% for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in 2024.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia peaked at 53.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 21.5%, in 1971.
Australia ranks 12th of 110 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population in Australia, year by year
| Year | cumulative | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 21.5% | — |
| 2001 | 47.1% | +119.0% |
| 2004 | 33.4% | -29.1% |
| 2005 | 34.2% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 35.7% | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 36.7% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 39.4% | +7.1% |
| 2009 | 40.6% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 41.8% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 42.7% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 46.5% | +8.8% |
| 2013 | 41.6% | -10.4% |
| 2014 | 44.3% | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 45.4% | +2.5% |
| 2016 | 46.5% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 47.7% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 48.3% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 49.6% | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 51.6% | +3.9% |
| 2021 | 52.4% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 53.9% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 51.7% | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 52.4% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 21.5% | 21.5% | 21.5% | 1 |
| 2000s | 38.1% | 33.4% | 47.1% | 7 |
| 2010s | 45.4% | 41.6% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 52.4% | 51.6% | 53.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More education data for Australia
- 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)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 64.2% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 17.7% (2025)
- Lower secondary school starting age 12 years (2025)
- Primary school starting age 5 years (2025)
- Primary secondary enrollment completion rates, gaps filled 99.61 (2024)
- School enrollment, primary 99.6% (2024)
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 52.4% 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 53.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.5% in 1971.
- How does Australia rank for educational attainment, at least completed post-secondary, population?
- Australia ranks 12th out of 110 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 18.5%. 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+, total (%) (cumulative). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed post-secondary non-tertiary education.