In 2025:
- 4,160,918 students were enrolled in schools across Australia, an increase of 28,912 students (0.7%) compared with 2024
- the majority of students were enrolled in government schools (62.8%), followed by Catholic schools (20.0%) and independent schools (17.2%).
Source: Schools, 2025, Table 42b
Between 2021 and 2025, total student enrolments increased by 3.2%. Independent schools recorded the largest increase (15.3%), followed by Catholic schools (5.7%). Government schools recorded a decrease over this period (-0.4%).
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2021-25 (% change) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 2,622,755 | 2,605,826 | 2,614,094 | 2,619,513 | 2,613,404 | -0.4 |
| Catholic | 787,181 | 795,368 | 806,323 | 820,222 | 831,692 | 5.7 |
| Independent | 620,781 | 641,318 | 666,581 | 692,271 | 715,822 | 15.3 |
| Total | 4,030,717 | 4,042,512 | 4,086,998 | 4,132,006 | 4,160,918 | 3.2 |
Source: Schools, 2025, Table 42b
The highest growth rates of student enrolments in 2025 were in:
- Western Australia: 1.5%
- Australian Capital Territory and Victoria: 1.1%
- Queensland: 0.7%.
Tasmania and the Northern Territory were the only states or territories where the growth rate fell (-0.5% and -0.1% respectively).
The highest estimated resident population growth rates for 5 to 19 year olds in 2025 were:
- Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia: 1.4%
- Northern Territory and Victoria: 1.2%
- Queensland: 0.9%.
The lowest was in Tasmania (-0.3%) which was the only state or territory to record a population decline.
Further information on population growth rates can be accessed from National, state and territory population, June 2025.
Source: Schools, 2025, Table 42b
In 2025, the growth rate for school enrolments was 0.7% (28,912 more students) compared with the year before. Since 2024:
- government school enrolments recorded a decrease of 0.2% (6,109 less students)
- non-government school enrolments recorded an increase of 2.3% (35,021 more students).
Primary school enrolments decreased by 7,013 students compared with the year before, a change of 0.3%. Since 2024:
- government primary school enrolments decreased by 1.1% (17,589 fewer students)
- non-government primary school enrolments increased by 1.5% (10,576 more students).
Secondary school enrolments increased by 35,925 students compared with the year before, a change of 1.9%. Since 2024:
- government secondary school enrolments increased by 1.1% (11,480 more students)
- non-government secondary school enrolments increased by 3.1% (24,445 more students).
Source: Schools, 2025, Table 42b
The proportion of students enrolled in non-government schools in 2025 was:
- highest in the Australian Capital Territory (40.6%) and South Australia (39.1%)
- lowest in the Northern Territory (28.2%).
Map 1 - Student enrolment counts by state and territory and school affiliation, 2025
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Description
A map of Australia showing student enrolment counts by state and territory and affiliation for 2025. Western Australia 306,262 Government student enrolments; 160,023 Non-Government enrolments. Northern Territory 28,742 Government student enrolments; 11,263 Non-Government enrolments. South Australia 173,438 Government student enrolments; 111,121 Non-Government enrolments. Victoria 667,440 Government student enrolments; 397,098 Non-Government enrolments. Tasmania 52,489 Government student enrolments; 27,791 Non-Government enrolments. New South Wales 773,956 Government student enrolments; 483,774 Non-Government enrolments. Australian Capital Territory 46,231 Government student enrolments; 31,655 Non-Government student enrolments. Queensland 564,846 Government student enrolments; 324,789 Non-Government enrolments.
In 2025, the number of Full-Fee Paying Overseas Students (FFPOS) increased by 959 to 27,027, a rise of 3.7% from 2024, and the highest student numbers since 2019 (26,593).
The highest percentage year-on-year growth between 2024 to 2025 was seen in:
- Tasmania: 31.6% (an increase of 103 students)
- New South Wales: 7.7% (an increase of 508 students).
The Australian Capital Territory and South Australia reported the only declines (-4.8% or 43 less students and -0.8% or 24 less students respectively).
FFPOS numbers are collected in the National Schools Statistics Collection (NSSC) but not published in the Schools data cubes.
Data unavailable for Northern Territory government schools in 2019 and 2020.