5,603,337 people or 46.5% of Australia's resident workers (All industries) have a tertiary qualification.
The local resident workers include all employed people who are resident in the local area regardless of where they work. In other words, it is the people who live locally and therefore have the potential to work locally and is an important resource for the local economy. Their characteristics inform us about the skills that are available locally, even if they are not currently employed in the local economy.
Access the detailed tables for further exploration of each characteristic.
Data source
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 and 2021 – by usual residence
Current area:
Current industry:
Current benchmark:
| Resident workers key statistics - All industries | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2021 | 2016 | change | ||||||
| Name | number | % | % Australia BM | number | % | % Australia BM | 2016 to 2021 | ||
| Resident workers | |||||||||
| Total Resident workers (Census) | 12,049,415 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 10,683,841 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +1,365,574 | ||
| Males | 6,200,199 | 51.5 | 51.5 | 5,607,775 | 52.5 | 52.5 | +592,424 | ||
| Females | 5,849,199 | 48.5 | 48.5 | 5,076,069 | 47.5 | 47.5 | +773,130 | ||
| Age structure | |||||||||
| 15 - 24 years | 1,723,042 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 1,531,961 | 14.3 | 14.3 | +191,081 | ||
| 25 - 54 years | 7,893,279 | 65.5 | 65.5 | 7,101,693 | 66.5 | 66.5 | +791,586 | ||
| 55 - 64 years | 1,840,980 | 15.3 | 15.3 | 1,601,597 | 15.0 | 15.0 | +239,383 | ||
| 65 years and over | 592,107 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 448,579 | 4.2 | 4.2 | +143,528 | ||
| Top three industries | |||||||||
| Health care and social assistance | 1,751,723 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 1,351,023 | 12.6 | 12.6 | +400,700 | ||
| Retail trade | 1,099,622 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 1,053,819 | 9.9 | 9.9 | +45,803 | ||
| Construction | 1,067,645 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 911,057 | 8.5 | 8.5 | +156,588 | ||
| Top three occupations | |||||||||
| Professionals | 2,886,920 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 2,370,965 | 22.2 | 22.2 | +515,955 | ||
| Managers | 1,645,776 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 1,390,044 | 13.0 | 13.0 | +255,732 | ||
| Technicians and trades workers | 1,554,315 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 1,447,404 | 13.5 | 13.5 | +106,911 | ||
| Hours worked | |||||||||
| Full time | 7,095,093 | 58.9 | 58.9 | 6,623,056 | 62.0 | 62.0 | +472,037 | ||
| Part time | 4,749,940 | 39.4 | 39.4 | 3,860,679 | 36.1 | 36.1 | +889,261 | ||
| Qualifications | |||||||||
| Bachelor or higher degree | 4,266,952 | 35.4 | 35.4 | 3,229,466 | 30.2 | 30.2 | +1,037,486 | ||
| Advanced diploma or diploma | 1,336,385 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 1,180,092 | 11.0 | 11.0 | +156,293 | ||
| Certificate level | 2,719,182 | 22.6 | 22.6 | 2,486,786 | 23.3 | 23.3 | +232,396 | ||
| No qualifications | 3,455,939 | 28.7 | 28.7 | 3,489,058 | 32.7 | 32.7 | -33,119 | ||
| Individual Income | |||||||||
| Less than $500 | 1,532,475 | 12.7 | 12.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| $500 -$1,999 | 7,948,880 | 66.0 | 66.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| $2,000 or more | 2,450,079 | 20.3 | 20.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Method of Travel to Work | |||||||||
| Car | 6,868,673 | 57.0 | 57.0 | 7,064,496 | 66.1 | 66.1 | -195,823 | ||
| Public Transport | 554,714 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 1,213,189 | 11.4 | 11.4 | -658,475 | ||
| Bicycle | 79,452 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 107,746 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -28,294 | ||
| Walked only | 306,053 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 370,421 | 3.5 | 3.5 | -64,368 | ||
| Other Characteristics | |||||||||
| Born overseas | 3,898,632 | 32.4 | 32.4 | 3,236,050 | 30.3 | 30.3 | +662,582 | ||
| Speaks a language other than English at home | 2,768,199 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 2,249,428 | 21.1 | 21.1 | +518,771 | ||
| Arrived between 2016 and August 2021 | 685,341 | 5.7 | 5.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions). Please refer to specific data notes for more information | |||||||||