The Survey of Education and Work (SEW) is conducted as a supplement to the Labour Force Survey (LFS). This means some data items collected in the LFS are also available in the SEW. Differences may be found in the estimates published in the SEW, when comparing with estimates published in the May issue of Labour Force, Australia and Labour Force, Australia, Detailed because each survey differs slightly in scope and is weighted separately.
Education and Work, Australia
Information about current and recent study, qualifications held and transition to work in Australia.
Key statistics
Of people aged 15-74 years:
- 64% had a non-school qualification
- 80% with a non-school qualification, and 58% without, were employed
- 84% who finished a non-school qualification in 2024 were employed in 2025.
Of people aged 15-24 years:
- 63% were currently studying
- 8% 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.
Of people aged 15-74 years in 2025:
- 12.3 million people (61%) were fully engaged in work, study, or both
- 71% of men were fully engaged
- 52% of women were fully engaged.
(a) Includes school and non-school study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 16
People aged 15-24 years were more likely to be fully engaged in work and/or study (82%) than any other age group. Men in this age group were more likely to be fully engaged than women (84% compared with 80%).
Of people aged 15-24 years, 11% were partially engaged in work or study.
(a) Includes school and non-school study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 15
People aged 15-24 years living in major cities were more likely to be fully engaged (84%) than people living in inner regional or outer regional and remote areas (both 75%).
The proportion of people aged 15-24 years who were fully engaged ranged from 84% in the Australian Capital Territory to 75% in Tasmania.
(a) Includes school and non-school study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 16
In 2025, of people aged 15-24 years:
- 52% were fully engaged primarily through full-time study
- 25% were fully engaged primarily through full-time work, which is consistent with 2024.
Not engaged in work or study
- 8% of all people aged 15-24 years were not engaged in any work or study in 2025, similar to 2024 (9%).
(a) Includes school and non-school study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2023-2025, Table 15
Current and recent study
Currently enrolled in study
In 2025, more than 3.2 million people aged 15-74 years were currently studying, including school students. Of these:
- 30% were at school
- 44% were at higher education institutions
- 14% were studying at Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutions
- 11% were studying at other education or training institutions
- 70% were enrolled in full-time study.
(a) Includes school and non-school study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 11
In 2025, the proportion of people aged 15-74 years currently enrolled in study varied across states and territories, from 18% in the Australian Capital Territory to 14% in Tasmania.
(a) Includes school and non-school study.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 1
Young people and school leavers
In 2025:
- 63% of people aged 15-24 years were at school or enrolled in further study, similar to 62% in 2024 and 61% in 2023
- 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 2024:
- 59% were studying for a non-school qualification in 2025
- 50% were enrolled in full-time study
- 26% 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 2025, 2.3 million people (12%) aged 15-74 years were currently studying for a non-school qualification.
Of these:
- 355,200 people were undertaking a postgraduate degree
- 896,400 were studying for a bachelor degree
- 455,300 were studying for a certificate III or IV.
Fields of study
Of students aged 15-74 years who were currently studying for a non-school qualification:
- 21% were studying for a qualification in the field of society and culture
- 17% were studying management and commerce
- 16% were studying health
- 11% were studying engineering and related technologies.
Women were more likely to study in the fields of society and culture (27%), and health (21%) whereas men were more likely to study engineering and related technologies (21%).
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 5
Apprentices and trainees
Of people aged 15-74 years who were employed as apprentices or trainees (excluding school based apprentices or trainees):
- 34% were aged 15-19 years
- 39% were aged 20-24 years
- 78% were men
- 43% had started their apprenticeship or traineeship in the last 12 months
- 16% were born overseas
- 66% of people's usual residence was in a greater capital city area
- 22% were employed within the electrotechnology and telecommunications field followed by 21% within the construction field.
Qualifications held
Qualifications at year 12 or certificate III level or above
In 2025, of people aged 20-24 years:
- 89% had attained a qualification at year 12 or certificate III level or above
- 90% of women and 88% of men held qualifications at this level
- 93% in the Northern Territory, and 91% in Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory held qualifications at this level.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 20
Non-school qualifications
Non-school qualifications held
In 2025, of people aged 15-74 years:
- 64% had attained a non-school qualification (certificate, diploma, or degree)
- 65% of women and 63% of men held a non-school qualification.
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 (40% and 73% 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 (65% and 62% compared with 60% and 52%, respectively).
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 25
Non-school qualifications at bachelor degree level or above
In 2025, of people aged 15-74 years:
- 34% held a bachelor degree or above
- 37% of women held a bachelor degree or above, compared with 30% of men.
The proportion of people with a bachelor degree or above has been steadily increasing. In 2024, 33% of people held a bachelor degree or higher compared with 26% in 2016.
The Australian Capital Territory had the highest proportion of people with a bachelor degree or above (46%) of all states and territories, followed by Victoria with 37%.
Those aged 25-34 years were more likely to have a bachelor degree or above (47%) than those aged 60-64 years (25%) or 65-74 years (26%).
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 35
Education and employment
Transition from study to work
In 2025, of people aged 15-74 years who had completed a non-school qualification in 2024:
- 84% were employed
- 5% were unemployed.
There were 65% of people aged 15-20 years who had finished year 12 in 2024 who were employed in 2025. This was the same (65%) in 2024.
Of these school leavers:
- 7% were studying while working full-time
- 29% 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 (80%) than those without a non-school qualification (58%).
71% of men with a bachelor degree and 70% with a certificate III/IV as their highest non-school qualification were employed full-time compared with 43% without a non-school qualification.
For women, 53% with a bachelor degree and 39% with a certificate III/IV as their highest non-school qualification worked full-time compared with 23% without a non-school qualification.
(a) Only includes those with a bachelor degree as their highest non-school qualification.
(b) Only includes those with a certificate III/IV as their highest non-school qualification.
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 22
Skill level of occupation
Of employed people aged 15-74 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 employed people aged 15-74 years without a non-school qualification worked in either Skill level 4 or Skill level 5 jobs (34% and 30% respectively).
Source: Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Table 32
For further information about skill level, refer to the Glossary in the Methodology.
Data downloads
Education and work
1: Current study, Tables 1-10
2: Current study, by selected characteristics, Tables 11-12
3: Recent study, Tables 13-14
4: Engagement in employment and/or study, by age, Tables 15-17
5: Attainment of year 12 or equivalent or non-school qualification, Tables 18-20
6: Highest educational attainment, Tables 21-23
7: Non-school qualifications, Table 24
8: Non-school qualifications, by selected characteristics, Tables 25-27
9: Highest non-school qualification, Tables 28-32
10: Highest non-school qualification, by selected characteristics, Tables 33-35
Education and Work, Australia, 2025, Data Item List