Australia: Secondary education, pupils

Key figures

Over five years it is up 2.84% from 2.57 million in 2019 (0.56% a year on average, compounded). Since 1970 it is up 132.66% from 1.14 million in 1970 (1.58% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 39 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Australia's secondary education, pupils rose 0.4% on 2023 (from 2.63 million to 2.65 million).

Across the 12 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +1.2% and a typical year strayed about 5.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 8.9% in 1995 and the biggest yearly fall was 10.2% in 2018. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 3% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Australia had the 21st highest value of the 100 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Australia in the 2024 ranking

• Peru — 18th of 100: 3.11 million
• Venezuela, RB — 19th of 100: 2.7 million
• Korea, Rep. — 20th of 100: 2.66 million
• Malaysia — 22nd of 100: 2.64 million
• Ukraine — 23rd of 100: 2.63 million
• Ecuador — 24th of 100: 1.79 million

What this measures

Secondary education pupils is the total number of pupils enrolled at secondary level in public and private schools.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 16 values

Secondary education, pupils in nearby economies

• Brunei Darussalam — 40,924 (2023)
• Cambodia — 1.17 million (2024)
• China — 97.98 million (2024)
• Fiji — 113,613 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 340,877 (2024)
• Indonesia — 27.84 million (2025)
• Japan — 6.61 million (2023)
• Kiribati — 16,846 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 2.66 million (2024)
• Lao PDR — 532,092 (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — 31,617 (2024)

More education data for Australia

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 2.27 million (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 1.68 million (2017)
• Secondary education, general pupils (% female) — 49.5% (2017)
• Primary education, pupils (% female) — 48.67% (2017)
• School enrollment, primary (% net)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Australia's secondary education, pupils?

2.65 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is up 132.66% from 1.14 million in 1970 (1.58% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.71 million in 2015 and the lowest 1.14 million in 1970.

How does Australia rank?

21st highest of 100 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in secondary education, pupils unusual for Australia?

In 2024, Australia's secondary education, pupils rose 0.4% on 2023 (from 2.63 million to 2.65 million). Across the 12 yearly changes before that (1994 to 2023), the average change was +1.2% and a typical year strayed about 5.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.ENRL, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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