Nielsen has released new Consumer and Media View (CMV) and Ad Intel data on the tertiary education sector in Australia, revealing a significant increase in the number of people looking to pursue higher education.
According to Nielsen CMV, the percentage of Australians (aged 16 and above) expressing an intention to study at TAFE or University in the next 12 months has risen dramatically. In 2019 the number was just 7%, but as of 2023, that figure has more than doubled, jumping to 15%.
The largest group intending to undertake tertiary study within the upcoming year are high school graduates aged 16 to 17, however, older generations are also looking to hit the books.
Age breakdown of those intending to undertake tertiary study in the next 12 months:
16-17: 55%
18-24: 14%
25-39: 41%
40-54: 25%
55+: 10%
Nielsen: Over 40% of new tertiary students work full-time
The data also reveals that 76% of those wanting to pursue tertiary education over the course of the following year are currently employed, with 44% working full-time, 32% working part-time, and 19% working casually, indicating a desire to upskill and improve their qualifications.
Nielsen Ad Intel data also shows that Australian tertiary education providers are spending big to attract new students, with a combined ad spend topping $210 million across the July 2022 – June 2023 financial year period. There’s also been an increase of 25% compared to the previous financial year.
Social media ad spend the best way to reach students?
Social media accounted for $126.4 million of the total ad spend (almost 60%), with Facebook topping the list of targeting platforms. General display and metro TV ads were also heavily used in the ad mix, but were still dwarfed by social.
The ad spend breakdown reflects the push to attract high school students as they consider their TAFE or university options.
In addition, 55% of those intending to study are parents, or have children at home. Among this group, 21% have at least one child under 5 years old, 28% have at least one child between 5-12 years old, and 27% have at least one child between 13-17 years old. This highlights the need for tertiary education providers to offer educational opportunities and career advancement for people with family commitments.
Secondary students looking to pursue tertiary education in the next 12 months are 82% more likely than the average population to respond to online ads, almost 2.5 times more likely to click on video ads, and almost 2.5 times as likely to click on banner ads. Additionally, 31% find online and mobile ads useful, if tailored to their interests, which is 48% higher than the average population.
*Source: Nielsen CMV, July 2020-June 2019, July 2022-June 2023, base: All People 16+ and Nielsen Ad Intel