Population having attained at least basic education in Australia
Australia: Population having attained at least basic education was 99.1 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
99.1
World rank
22nd
of 111 countries
All-time high
99.5
in 2010
All-time low
49.1
in 1870
Years of data
31
1870–2020
Population having attained at least basic education in Australia, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population having attained at least basic education in Australia is 99.1, measured in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in Australia peaked at 99.5 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 49.1, in 1870.
Australia ranks 22nd of 111 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Population having attained at least basic education in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 49.1 | — |
| 1875 | 53.7 | +9.4% |
| 1880 | 58.2 | +8.4% |
| 1885 | 63.8 | +9.6% |
| 1890 | 70.2 | +10.0% |
| 1895 | 75.2 | +7.1% |
| 1900 | 75.1 | -0.1% |
| 1905 | 77.7 | +3.5% |
| 1910 | 82.3 | +5.9% |
| 1915 | 85.7 | +4.1% |
| 1920 | 88.7 | +3.5% |
| 1925 | 90.7 | +2.3% |
| 1930 | 92.9 | +2.4% |
| 1935 | 94.9 | +2.2% |
| 1940 | 96.3 | +1.5% |
| 1945 | 97.7 | +1.5% |
| 1950 | 98.8 | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 99 | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 99.2 | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 99.3 | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 99.4 | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 99 | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 99.3 | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 99 | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 99.1 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 98.9 | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 99.2 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 99.4 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 99.5 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 99.3 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 99.1 | -0.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 99.1 is above the median for high income countries, which is 99, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Australia's 99.1 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.3, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 51.4 | 49.1 | 53.7 | 2 |
| 1880s | 61 | 58.2 | 63.8 | 2 |
| 1890s | 72.7 | 70.2 | 75.2 | 2 |
| 1900s | 76.4 | 75.1 | 77.7 | 2 |
| 1910s | 84 | 82.3 | 85.7 | 2 |
| 1920s | 89.7 | 88.7 | 90.7 | 2 |
| 1930s | 93.9 | 92.9 | 94.9 | 2 |
| 1940s | 97 | 96.3 | 97.7 | 2 |
| 1950s | 98.9 | 98.8 | 99 | 2 |
| 1960s | 99.25 | 99.2 | 99.3 | 2 |
| 1970s | 99.2 | 99 | 99.4 | 2 |
| 1980s | 99.15 | 99 | 99.3 | 2 |
| 1990s | 99 | 98.9 | 99.1 | 2 |
| 2000s | 99.3 | 99.2 | 99.4 | 2 |
| 2010s | 99.4 | 99.3 | 99.5 | 2 |
| 2020s | 99.1 | 99.1 | 99.1 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More education data for Australia
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 99.9 (2023)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.88 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 104,110 (1992)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 316,638 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 292,593 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.65 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 0.4362 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in Australia?
- Population having attained at least basic education in Australia was 99.1 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 99.5 in 2010.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.1 in 1870.
- How does Australia rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- Australia ranks 22nd out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population having attained at least basic education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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