Labor force with basic education in Australia
Australia: Labor force with basic education was 41.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Labor force with basic education in Australia, 2001–2024
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total working-age population with basic education.
Analysis
In 2024, labor force with basic education in Australia stood at 41.3%.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with basic education in Australia peaked at 66.4% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 40.4%, in 2020.
Australia ranks 82nd of 125 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Labor force with basic education in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of total working-age population with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 49.1% | — |
| 2002 | 49.3% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 50.5% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 49.9% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 49.2% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 49.3% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 49.7% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 49.5% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 66.4% | +34.1% |
| 2010 | 64.8% | -2.4% |
| 2011 | 64.8% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 65.4% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 52.1% | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 51.5% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 49.5% | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 49.3% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 49.4% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 42.7% | -13.6% |
| 2019 | 42.4% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 40.4% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 41.2% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 41.9% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 42.3% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 41.3% | -2.2% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 41.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 41.5%, 100% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Australia's 41.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 55.6%, 74% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Labor force with basic education in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +34.1% | 49.5% | 66.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 51.4% | 49.1% | 66.4% | 9 |
| 2010s | 53.2% | 42.4% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.4% | 40.4% | 42.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More work & labour data for Australia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.5057 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4907 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.5202 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9895 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8931 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 30,186 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 3,001 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 21,642 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 21,502 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 43,144 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force with basic education in Australia?
- Labor force with basic education in Australia was 41.3% in 2024, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with basic education recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 66.4% in 2009.
- What is the lowest labor force with basic education recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.4% in 2020.
- How does Australia rank for labor force with basic education?
- Australia ranks 82nd out of 125 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force with basic education rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education (% of total working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).