Ahead of the third perfect storm, Education in calendar year 2024 was Australia’s fourth largest export behind Iron Ore, Coal and Natural Gas, more valuable than Gold. Education remains the only top export that captures Australia as more than a quarry with a view[1].
Chart 1: Australia’s Top Exports 2024 ($ billions)
The value of education as an export for Australia was at an all-time peak $51.5 billion in calendar year 2024.
Chart 2: Education and Tourism as Exports: 2000 to 2024 ($ billions)
But, ahead of the third perfect storm, the value of education as an export was flat in second semester 2024.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics releases data for financial years and calendar years. The value of education as an export in calendar year 2024 was $51.518, from $51.032 billion in financial year 2023/24, indicating there was virtually no growth in second semester 2024.
For Australia, Education in 2024 was Australia’s fourth largest export. Education in 2024 was the second largest export for NSW, the largest export for Victoria, the third largest export for Queensland, the largest export for South Australia and the largest export for ACT.
Alan Olsen – Director, Strategy Policy and Research in Education P/L www.spre.com.au
Strategy and Policy are guided by Research in Education – Detail is in the paper Education as an Export for Australia, on the What’s New page at www.spre.com.au
[1] George Megalogenis, The Australian Moment (Camberwell: Hamish Hamilton, 2012), p. 2.
