School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia

Australia: School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes was 604,520 number in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
604,520 number
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
82nd
of 205 countries
All-time high
837,458 number
in 1989
All-time low
498,109 number
in 1995
Years of data
51
1970–2020

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia, 1970–2020

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k197019952020

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia is 604,520 number, measured in 2020.

The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia peaked at 837,458 number in 1989 and was at its lowest, 498,109 number, in 1995.

That places Australia 82nd out of 205 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.

School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia, year by year

Annual values for School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in Australia, 1970 to 2020.
Year number Change
1970 668,112 number
1971 695,363 number +4.1%
1972 718,424 number +3.3%
1973 733,018 number +2.0%
1974 741,441 number +1.1%
1975 747,537 number +0.8%
1976 757,662 number +1.4%
1977 768,059 number +1.4%
1978 776,993 number +1.2%
1979 781,807 number +0.6%
1980 781,446 number -0.0%
1981 780,316 number -0.1%
1982 775,300 number -0.6%
1983 770,493 number -0.6%
1984 771,067 number +0.1%
1985 780,816 number +1.3%
1986 796,434 number +2.0%
1987 815,889 number +2.4%
1988 832,020 number +2.0%
1989 837,458 number +0.7%
1990 827,024 number -1.2%
1991 807,384 number -2.4%
1992 782,971 number -3.0%
1993 515,098 number -34.2%
1994 501,877 number -2.6%
1995 498,109 number -0.8%
1996 499,835 number +0.3%
1997 506,116 number +1.3%
1998 513,432 number +1.4%
1999 521,310 number +1.5%
2000 526,995 number +1.1%
2001 535,819 number +1.7%
2002 541,125 number +1.0%
2003 544,783 number +0.7%
2004 547,641 number +0.5%
2005 552,891 number +1.0%
2006 573,079 number +3.7%
2007 587,397 number +2.5%
2008 593,958 number +1.1%
2009 593,064 number -0.2%
2010 588,274 number -0.8%
2011 595,270 number +1.2%
2012 598,761 number +0.6%
2013 597,623 number -0.2%
2014 592,693 number -0.8%
2015 586,931 number -1.0%
2016 588,196 number +0.2%
2017 590,428 number +0.4%
2018 591,931 number +0.3%
2019 595,421 number +0.6%
2020 604,520 number +1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 738,842 number 668,112 number 781,807 number 10
1980s 794,124 number 770,493 number 837,458 number 10
1990s 597,316 number 498,109 number 827,024 number 10
2000s 559,675 number 526,995 number 593,958 number 10
2010s 592,553 number 586,931 number 598,761 number 10
2020s 604,520 number 604,520 number 604,520 number 1

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 79 Burundi 678,635 number compare
  2. 80 Tunisia 628,073 number compare
  3. 81 Netherlands 613,005 number compare
  4. 83 Togo 518,363 number compare
  5. 84 Belgium 510,683 number compare
  6. 85 Kazakhstan 448,101 number compare

See the full ranking of 250 places →

More education data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia?
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia was 604,520 number in 2020, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 837,458 number in 1989.
What is the lowest school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 498,109 number in 1995.
How does Australia rank for school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes?
Australia ranks 82nd out of 205 countries with data for 2020.
Is school age population, upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 25 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-age-population-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
School age population, upper secondary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
250 places, 12,264 data points, 1970–2020
Last refreshed

Population of the age-group theoretically corresponding to upper secondary education as indicated by theoretical entrance age and duration.