Over the past 20 years, the share of the Australian population that hold a degree at a bachelor level or above has increased by more than six times, reaching 50.2 percent in 2021. In Australia, the tertiary education sector comprises of both public and private institutions. The student body is comprised of both domestic and international students.
University graduate employment
Domestic students make up most of the graduates within Australia. Almost three-thirds of the university graduates employed in the country were working in professional occupations in 2020. University graduates from pharmacy, rehabilitation, and teacher education study programs had the highest employment rate compared to all other fields. Dentistry graduates earned the highest median full-time salary of recent university graduates in the country.
International study landscape
International students are a rapidly growing segment of Australia’s tertiary education sector. The export income from international student activities amounted to over 37.5 billion Australian dollars in 2020. Chinese students accounted for the largest share of international student enrolments in the same period. Students completing their studies at Australian universities are attracted to the prestige of obtaining a degree at some of the best universities in the world. On top of that, graduates have the opportunity to enter the Australian labor market and to apply for a permanent visa in the country.
Share of population who hold a bachelor level degree or above in Australia from 1989 to 2021
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Australian Bureau of Statistics. (November 9, 2021). Share of population who hold a bachelor level degree or above in Australia from 1989 to 2021 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 21, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/612854/australia-population-with-university-degree/
Australian Bureau of Statistics. "Share of population who hold a bachelor level degree or above in Australia from 1989 to 2021." Chart. November 9, 2021. Statista. Accessed May 21, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/612854/australia-population-with-university-degree/
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Share of population who hold a bachelor level degree or above in Australia from 1989 to 2021. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 21, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/612854/australia-population-with-university-degree/
Australian Bureau of Statistics. "Share of Population Who Hold a Bachelor Level Degree or above in Australia from 1989 to 2021." Statista, Statista Inc., 9 Nov 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/612854/australia-population-with-university-degree/
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Share of population who hold a bachelor level degree or above in Australia from 1989 to 2021 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/612854/australia-population-with-university-degree/ (last visited May 21, 2022)