Education and Work, Australia

Latest release

Data on engagement in work and/or study, current and recent study, qualifications, and transitions to work

Reference period
May 2024

Key statistics

Of people aged 15-74 years:

  • 63% had a non-school qualification
  • 79% with a non-school qualification, and 58% without, were employed
  • 84% who finished a non-school qualification in 2023 were employed in 2024.

Of people aged 15-24 years:

  • 62% were currently studying
  • 9% were not engaged in any work or study.

Engagement in work and/or study

Fully and partially engaged in work and/or study

A person who is either working full-time, studying full-time, or both working and studying is fully engaged. A person who is working part-time only, or studying part-time only, is partially engaged. This includes those enrolled in school.

In 2024:

  • Just over 12 million people (61%) aged 15-74 years were fully engaged in work, study, or both
  • 71% of men were fully engaged
  • 51% of women were fully engaged.

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years. 
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 16

People aged 15-24 years were the most likely to be fully engaged in work and/or study (81%) with similar proportions for both males and females (both 81%).

Of people aged 15-24 years, 11% were partially engaged in work or study.

(a) Includes school level study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 15

The proportion of people aged 15-24 years who were fully engaged ranged from 88% in the Australian Capital Territory to 76% in Queensland.

Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 16

In 2024, of people aged 15-24 years:

  • 51% were fully engaged primarily through full-time study compared with 49% in 2023
  • 25% were fully engaged primarily through full-time work compared with 28% in 2023.

Not engaged in work or study

  • 9% of all people aged 15-24 years were not engaged in any work or study in 2024, similar to 2023.

(a) Includes school level study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 15

Current and recent study

Currently enrolled in study

In 2024:

  • Nearly 3.2 million people aged 15-74 years (16%) were currently studying, including school students
  • 30% of these current students were at school, while 42% were at higher education institutions, 16% were studying at technical and further education (TAFE) institutions, and 12% were studying at other education or training institutions
  • 69% of current students (including school students) were enrolled in full-time study.

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years. 
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 11

In 2024, the proportion of persons aged 15-74 years currently enrolled in study ranged across states and territories, from 18% in the Australian Capital Territory to 13% in Tasmania.

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years. 
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 1

Young people and school leavers

In 2024:

  • 62% of people aged 15-24 years were at school or enrolled in further study, similar to 61% in 2023 and 63% in 2022
  • 42% of people aged 20-24 years were studying towards a non-school qualification at certificate III level or above.

Of school leavers aged 15-20 years who had finished year 12 or equivalent in 2023:

  • 61% were studying for a non-school qualification in 2024, compared with 42% who had left school in 2023 with qualifications at year 11 or below
  • 25% had undertaken vocational education and training (VET) as part of their previous school studies.

Studying for a non-school qualification (certificate, diploma, or degree)

In 2024, 2.3 million people (11%) aged 15-74 years were currently studying for a non-school qualification.

Of these:

  • 320,400 people were undertaking a postgraduate degree
  • 854,000 were studying for a bachelor degree
  • 512,700 were studying for a certificate III or IV.

Fields of study

Of students who were currently studying for a non-school qualification:

  • 22% were studying for a qualification in the field of society and culture 
  • 18% were studying management and commerce 
  • 16% were studying health 
  • 11% were studying engineering and related technologies.

Female students were more likely to study in the fields of society and culture, and health whereas male students were more likely to study engineering and related technologies.

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years who were studying for a non-school qualification.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 5

Apprentices and trainees

Of people aged 15-74 years who were employed as apprentices or trainees (excluding school based apprentices or trainees):

  • 36% were aged 15-19 years
  • 35% were aged 20-24 years
  • 75% were male
  • 40% had started their apprenticeship or traineeship in the last 12 months
  • 15% were born overseas
  • 59% of people's usual residence was in a greater capital city area
  • 26% were employed within the construction field followed by 21% within the electrotechnology and telecommunications field.

 

Qualifications held

Qualifications at year 12 or certificate III level or above

In 2024, of people aged 20-24 years:

  • 90% had attained a qualification at year 12 or certificate III level or above
  • 93% of women held qualifications at this level, compared with 87% of men
  • 84% or more in each state and territory held qualifications at this level.

Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 20

Non-school qualifications

Attained or studying for a non-school qualification

In 2024, of people aged 15-74 years:

  • 63% had attained a non-school qualification (certificate, diploma, or degree), the same proportion as in 2023
  • 11% were currently studying for a non-school qualification.
Non-school qualifications held

In 2024, the proportion of women aged 15-74 years with a non-school qualification was 64% and 63% for men.

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 26

There were 48% of women aged 20-24 years and 78% of women aged 25-29 years who held a non-school qualification. This was significantly higher than men from the same age groups (42% and 72%, respectively).

Conversely, men between the age range of 60-64 years and 65-74 years were more likely to hold a non-school qualification than women in the same age ranges (66% and 61% compared with 57% and 51%, respectively).

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 25

Non-school qualifications at bachelor degree level or above

In 2024, of people aged 15-74 years:

  • 33% held a bachelor degree or above
  • 37% of women aged 15-74 years held a bachelor degree or above, compared with 30% of men.

The Australian Capital Territory had the highest proportion of people with a bachelor degree or above (49%) of all state and territories.

Those aged 25-34 years were more likely to have a bachelor degree or above than those aged 65-74 years (47% compared with 23%).

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 35

Education and employment

Transition from study to work

In 2024, of people aged 15-74 years who had completed a non-school qualification in 2023:

  • 84% were employed
  • 5% were unemployed and looking for work.

There were 65% of people aged 15-20 years who had finished year 12 in 2023 who were employed in 2024. This was a decrease from the 76% in 2023. Of these school leavers:

  • 6% were studying while working full-time
  • 34% were studying while working part-time.

Non-school qualifications and employment

People aged 15-74 years with a non-school qualification (degree, diploma, or certificate) were more likely to be employed (79%) than those without a non-school qualification (58%).

The higher the qualification, the more likely people were to work full-time:

  • 78% of men with a postgraduate degree worked full-time, compared with 43% without a non-school qualification
  • 59% of women with a postgraduate degree worked full-time, compared with 23% without a non-school qualification.

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 22

Skill level of occupation

Of people aged 15 to 74 years with a non-school qualification:

  • 45% worked in Skill level 1 jobs (the highest skill level, including occupations such as pharmacists, architects, school principals, farm managers, and arts professionals)
  • 12% worked in Skill level 2 jobs (including occupations such as restaurant managers, finance brokers, medical lab technicians and welfare support workers)
  • 13% worked in Skill level 3 jobs (including occupations such as plumbers, hairdressers and butchers)
  • 22% worked in Skill level 4 jobs (including occupations such as receptionists, delivery drivers, and miners).

Most people without a non-school qualification worked in either Skill level 4 or Skill level 5 jobs (35% and 29% respectively).

(a) All persons aged 15-74 years.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2024, Table 32

For further information about skill level, refer to the Glossary in the Methodology.

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Education and work

Data files

Survey material

Education and work 2024 Questionnaire

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