School enrollment, primary, private in Australia

Australia: School enrollment, primary, private was 31.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
31.8%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
36th
of 202 countries
All-time high
31.8%
in 2024
All-time low
19.7%
in 1980
Years of data
45
1971–2024

School enrollment, primary, private in Australia, 1971–2024

01020301971199720241971: 21.9 % of total primary1980: 19.7 % of total primary1981: 20.4 % of total primary1983: 21.7 % of total primary1984: 22.5 % of total primary1985: 23.4 % of total primary1986: 24 % of total primary1987: 24.3 % of total primary1988: 24.6 % of total primary1989: 24.8 % of total primary1990: 24.9 % of total primary1991: 24.9 % of total primary1992: 25 % of total primary1993: 25.1 % of total primary1994: 25.4 % of total primary1995: 25.8 % of total primary1996: 26 % of total primary1997: 26.3 % of total primary1998: 26.6 % of total primary1999: 26.9 % of total primary2000: 27.2 % of total primary2001: 27.6 % of total primary2002: 28 % of total primary2003: 28.3 % of total primary2004: 28.7 % of total primary2005: 29.1 % of total primary2006: 29.5 % of total primary2007: 29.8 % of total primary2008: 30.3 % of total primary2009: 30.5 % of total primary2010: 30.9 % of total primary2011: 31.1 % of total primary2012: 31.1 % of total primary2013: 31 % of total primary2014: 30.9 % of total primary2015: 30.4 % of total primary2016: 30.1 % of total primary2017: 29.8 % of total primary2018: 29.7 % of total primary2019: 29.5 % of total primary2020: 29.6 % of total primary2021: 30.2 % of total primary2022: 30.9 % of total primary2023: 31.3 % of total primary2024: 31.8 % of total primary

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of total primary.

Analysis

In 2024, school enrollment, primary, private in Australia stood at 31.8%. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, school enrollment, primary, private in Australia peaked at 31.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.7%, in 1980.

Australia ranks 36th of 202 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.

School enrollment, primary, private in Australia, year by year

Annual values for School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary) in Australia, 1971 to 2024.
Year % of total primary Change
1971 21.9%
1980 19.7% -9.8%
1981 20.4% +3.4%
1983 21.7% +6.5%
1984 22.5% +3.8%
1985 23.4% +3.8%
1986 24.0% +2.5%
1987 24.3% +1.3%
1988 24.6% +1.1%
1989 24.8% +0.9%
1990 24.9% +0.4%
1991 24.9% +0.3%
1992 25.0% +0.1%
1993 25.1% +0.3%
1994 25.4% +1.2%
1995 25.8% +1.6%
1996 26.0% +1.0%
1997 26.3% +1.3%
1998 26.6% +1.0%
1999 26.9% +1.0%
2000 27.2% +1.3%
2001 27.6% +1.4%
2002 28.0% +1.3%
2003 28.3% +1.2%
2004 28.7% +1.3%
2005 29.1% +1.5%
2006 29.5% +1.2%
2007 29.8% +1.3%
2008 30.3% +1.4%
2009 30.5% +0.9%
2010 30.9% +1.1%
2011 31.1% +0.7%
2012 31.1% +0.0%
2013 31.0% -0.1%
2014 30.9% -0.4%
2015 30.4% -1.5%
2016 30.1% -1.1%
2017 29.8% -0.9%
2018 29.7% -0.4%
2019 29.5% -0.5%
2020 29.6% +0.2%
2021 30.2% +1.9%
2022 30.9% +2.3%
2023 31.3% +1.2%
2024 31.8% +1.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 21.9% 21.9% 21.9% 1
1980s 22.8% 19.7% 24.8% 9
1990s 25.7% 24.9% 26.9% 10
2000s 28.9% 27.2% 30.5% 10
2010s 30.5% 29.5% 31.1% 10
2020s 30.7% 29.6% 31.8% 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 33 Suriname 33.8% compare
  2. 34 Gambia 33.4% compare
  3. 35 Togo 32.5% compare
  4. 37 Spain 31.7% compare
  5. 38 New Caledonia 31.3% compare
  6. 39 Puerto Rico 29.2% compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More education data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is school enrollment, primary, private in Australia?
School enrollment, primary, private in Australia was 31.8% in 2024, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest school enrollment, primary, private recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 31.8% in 2024.
What is the lowest school enrollment, primary, private recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 19.7% in 1980.
How does Australia rank for school enrollment, primary, private?
Australia ranks 36th out of 202 countries with data for 2024.
Is school enrollment, primary, private rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. 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 School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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School enrollment, primary, private in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/school-enrollment-primary-private-percent-of-total-primary/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
School enrollment, primary, private (% of total primary)
Unit
% of total primary
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
202 places, 6,152 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

Private enrollment refers to pupils or students enrolled in institutions that are not operated by a public authority but controlled and managed, whether for profit or not, by a private body such as a nongovernmental organization, religious body, special interest group, foundation or business enterprise.