Melbourne's most educated suburbs
Clifton Hill tops the ranking, where 78.3% of residents aged 15 and over hold a bachelor degree or higher (3,494 people). Carlton North and Fitzroy North follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 319 eligible Melbourne suburbs.
This page ranks Melbourne suburbs by the share of residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census — the metro's most university-qualified neighbourhoods. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are ranked.
Shares are the count of Melbourne residents aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree, graduate diploma or certificate, or postgraduate degree, divided by all residents aged 15 and over — the ABS non-school-qualification universe, so children aren't counted in the base. The figures come from the 2021 Census. Percentile ranks are computed within Melbourne's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs. This is descriptive demographic information, not a recommendation.
Melbourne's most educated suburbs
Ranked by the share of residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census, among suburbs with at least 2,000 residents — where the most university-qualified residents are concentrated.
Clifton Hill
VIC 3068 · 6,606 residents78.3% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 3,494 graduates
Carlton North
VIC 3054 · 6,177 residents77.8% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 3,483 graduates
Fitzroy North
VIC 3068 · 12,781 residents75.1% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 6,656 graduates
Princes Hill
VIC 3054 · 2,005 residents74.0% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,012 graduates
Parkville
VIC 3052 · 7,074 residents73.9% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 3,056 graduates
Hawthorn East
VIC 3123 · 14,834 residents73.2% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 7,220 graduates
East Melbourne
VIC 3002 · 4,896 residents73.1% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 2,800 graduates
Brunswick East
VIC 3057 · 13,279 residents73.0% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 6,998 graduates
Brunswick
VIC 3056 · 24,896 residents73.0% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 12,378 graduates
Middle Park
VIC 3206 · 4,000 residents72.9% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,755 graduates
Canterbury
VIC 3126 · 7,800 residents72.7% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 3,459 graduates
Hawthorn
VIC 3122 · 22,322 residents72.6% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 11,012 graduates
Northcote
VIC 3070 · 25,276 residents72.5% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 11,668 graduates
Cremorne
VIC 3121 · 2,158 residents72.4% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 1,173 graduates
Carlton
VIC 3053 · 16,055 residents71.8% hold a bachelor degree or higher · 8,009 graduates
Ranked from 319 qualifying suburbs.
100% share of residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census (bachelor, graduate diploma/certificate and postgraduate totals divided by all residents aged 15+), percentile-ranked within Melbourne's candidate pool. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents qualify, and the larger absolute number of graduates breaks ties. Descriptive ABS Census data, not a recommendation. See how we calculate for the full methodology.
Common questions about this ranking
What are Melbourne's most educated suburbs?
Clifton Hill tops the ranking, where 78.3% of residents aged 15 and over hold a bachelor degree or higher (3,494 people). Carlton North and Fitzroy North follow. These 15 suburbs came from a field of 319 eligible Melbourne suburbs.
How is this ranking put together?
Each Melbourne suburb is ranked by the share of its residents aged 15 and over who hold a bachelor degree or higher in the 2021 Census — that count divided by all residents aged 15+. Only suburbs with at least 2,000 residents are included, and percentile ranks are computed within Melbourne's pool, so the list reflects concentration relative to other metro suburbs.
What counts as a bachelor degree or higher?
The Census non-school-qualification levels at bachelor and above: a bachelor degree, a graduate diploma or graduate certificate, and a postgraduate degree. It's measured against residents aged 15 and over — the group the Census asks about qualifications — so children aren't counted in the base and the share isn't diluted.
Where does the data come from?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census question on non-school qualifications. Nothing is estimated or inferred about any individual, and this is a factual demographic snapshot rather than a judgement about any suburb.
How current is it?
The figures are from the 2021 Census, the most recent available until results from the August 2026 Census are released in 2027. The top 15 is recomputed whenever we refresh the census data.
Same list in other cities
- Sydney's most educated suburbs
- Brisbane's most educated suburbs
- Perth's most educated suburbs
- Adelaide's most educated suburbs
- Hobart's most educated suburbs
- Darwin's most educated suburbs
- Canberra's most educated suburbs
- Newcastle's most educated suburbs
- Central Coast's most educated suburbs
- Sunshine Coast's most educated suburbs
- Gold Coast's most educated suburbs
- Wollongong's most educated suburbs
- Geelong's most educated suburbs
- Townsville's most educated suburbs
- Toowoomba's most educated suburbs
- Busselton's most educated suburbs
- Ballarat's most educated suburbs
- Cairns's most educated suburbs
- Albany's most educated suburbs
- Ballina's most educated suburbs
- Geraldton's most educated suburbs
- Warragul's most educated suburbs
- Bundaberg's most educated suburbs
- Launceston's most educated suburbs
- Bendigo's most educated suburbs
- Rockhampton's most educated suburbs
- Mackay's most educated suburbs
- Albury – Wodonga's most educated suburbs
- Camden Haven's most educated suburbs
- Burnie's most educated suburbs
- Wagga Wagga's most educated suburbs
- Coffs Harbour's most educated suburbs
- Alice Springs's most educated suburbs
- Mount Isa's most educated suburbs
Related
Rankings last computed 12 October 2026. Recomputed after each ACARA schools data refresh.
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