Australia’s most educated areas
Where are the most educated areas in Australia?
We list the top 30 “Braniac areas”…the local government areas that boast the highest percentage of tertiary educated residents in Australia…
In this article, we investigate the number of tertiary educated residents living in each local government area, and express that number as a percentage of total residents over the age of 15.
(Note: We don’t include under 15’s, as these residents are unlikely (!) to hold Bachelor or higher degrees – Doogie Howser may have been the only exception…)
The “most educated” area in Australia is in NSW, and it is…
North Sydney, with 48.9% of the 15+ population holding a Bachelor or higher degree….
Table 1 – residents over 15 years of age with Bachelor or higher degree
Rank |
Local Government Area |
State |
Bachelor or Higher degree |
|
Persons |
% |
|||
1 |
North Sydney (A) |
NSW |
27,043 |
48.9% |
2 |
Subiaco (C) |
WA |
6,968 |
45.9% |
3 |
Nedlands (C) |
WA |
7,526 |
45.6% |
4 |
Lane Cove (A) |
NSW |
11,610 |
45.5% |
5 |
Mosman (A) |
NSW |
10,184 |
45.4% |
6 |
Yarra (C) |
VIC |
29,212 |
44.7% |
7 |
Woollahra (A) |
NSW |
19,639 |
44.5% |
8 |
Leichhardt (A) |
NSW |
19,246 |
44.3% |
9 |
Cottesloe (T) |
WA |
2,757 |
43.9% |
10 |
Willoughby (C) |
NSW |
23,896 |
43.8% |
11 |
Ku-ring-gai (A) |
NSW |
37,545 |
43.3% |
12 |
Stonnington (C) |
VIC |
34,994 |
43.2% |
13 |
Boroondara (C) |
VIC |
56,703 |
43.2% |
14 |
Melbourne (C) |
VIC |
37,283 |
42.9% |
15 |
Cambridge (T) |
WA |
8,421 |
42.5% |
16 |
Port Phillip (C) |
VIC |
34,317 |
42.2% |
17 |
Claremont (T) |
WA |
3,278 |
41.9% |
18 |
Sydney (C) |
NSW |
63,309 |
40.2% |
19 |
Manly (A) |
NSW |
12,945 |
40.2% |
20 |
Waverley (A) |
NSW |
21,233 |
39.5% |
21 |
Peppermint Grove (S) |
WA |
474 |
38.3% |
22 |
Perth (C) |
WA |
5,996 |
37.8% |
23 |
Burnside (C) |
SA |
13,225 |
37.3% |
24 |
Mosman Park (T) |
WA |
2,641 |
37.1% |
25 |
Hunters Hill (A) |
NSW |
3,962 |
37.0% |
26 |
Unley (C) |
SA |
11,338 |
36.7% |
27 |
Adelaide (C) |
SA |
6,623 |
35.8% |
28 |
Glen Eira (C) |
VIC |
38,342 |
35.7% |
29 |
Vincent (T) |
WA |
9,664 |
35.5% |
30 |
Hobart (C) |
TAS |
14,760 |
35.5% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011
What about by State?
The table below shows the total number of people in each state or territory with a Bachelor or higher degree – and also that number expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 and over.
Table 2 – Person with Bachelor Degree or higher – State totals
State |
Bachelor or Higher degree |
|
Persons |
% |
|
ACT |
98,658 |
34.0% |
VIC |
905,492 |
20.8% |
NSW |
1,107,042 |
19.9% |
WA |
312,637 |
17.6% |
SA |
207,856 |
15.9% |
QLD |
547,624 |
15.9% |
NT |
23,542 |
15.1% |
TAS |
56,901 |
14.2% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011
ACT is ranked the most educated state or territory based on percentage, although as the largest state in Australia NSW still has largest actual number of persons with a Bachelor degree or higher.
In the traditional NSW/Victoria rivalry, it is Victoria however, that is ranked a little higher than NSW on percentage.
Figure 1 – Persons with Bachelor Degree or higher – State percentages
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011
So…how does your area compare?
If you want to know how your council area or suburb compares, check out “qualifications” under “who are we” in profile.id for your area. You can find your council area in the demographic resource centre.
If your council doesn’t currently subscribe to profile.id, learn more about how profile.id can provide a comprehensive demographic resource tool for council decision making…
Message for Nathan re most educated suburbs & towns. Nathan it would help if you referenced your work to a specific table and data set when quoting census data. It took me a little while to realise your reference to Burnside (C) in the table provided is actually an LGA in Adelaide not a “suburb or town”. Regardless I still can’t verify your data for that area. However I compile the relevant data (using different definitions of tertiary education) I don’t get your totals. Please provide your definition as well as your data source reference – a basic expectation of any research that is to be taken seriously.
Cheers
John
Thank you and that places are best for education.