Best universities by subject in each state: Australian skill shortage list
Knowing which professions are facing a national skills shortage is one thing, but it is another to choose the right provider and undergraduate course for you.
Queensland Minister for Skills and Training, Brendan O’Connor, says on The Courier Mail that you need to be supported to do what you are good at and what you enjoy no matter whether it is through the VET or university pathway.
He says: ‘… access to education and training … is critical to a person’s employment prospects.’
‘Learning new skills, acquiring knowledge and cultivating innovation is key to boosting incomes and living standards…’
By simply coming across this article, we understand you’ll likely be part of a ‘bigger, better trained and more skilled workforce’.
The Australian Government has identified high priority occupation areas that require more talent nation-wide, highlighting the amount of employment opportunities there.
Find the right provider for you and make your decision regarding your undergraduate study – whether or not it’s aligned with Australia’s talent gap.
Our latest university rankings will also help you to identify which universities rank highest in several categories, including the overall experience and full-time employment criteria. The overall experience rating looks at the proportion of students who were satisfied with the overall quality of their educational experience. The full-time employment rating looks at the proportion of graduates who were employed full-time four months after completing their course.
Depending on what’s important to you – e.g. a great study experience or other – we have listed the universities that come on top in each of these categories, in study areas that feed into Australia’s skills shortage according to the National Skills Commission, by state.
Every student and every provider are different, so speak with the institution representatives, its alumni and current students and/or independent career advisors to find an institution that fits you best.
For now, let’s look at each state’s top-ranking education providers in courses that are attached to the national skills shortage list.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Clinical, educational and organisational psychologists
Best universities for psychology in Australia, in order:
VIC
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Deakin University | Monash University |
Swinburne University of Technology | Swinburne University of Technology |
Victoria University | Deakin University |
RMIT University | University of Melbourne |
La Trobe University | RMIT University |
NSW
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of New England | University of New England |
Southern Cross University | Charles Sturt University |
Macquarie University | University of New South Wales |
University of Newcastle | University of Sydney |
University of Western Sydney | Macquarie University |
ACT & NT
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Canberra | Charles Darwin University |
Charles Darwin University | University of Canberra |
Australian National University | Australian National University |
QLD
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Bond University | University of Southern Queensland |
University of Southern Queensland | University of Queensland |
University of Sunshine Coast | University of Sunshine Coast |
University of Queensland | Queensland University of Technology |
Griffith University | Griffith University |
TAS
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Tasmania | University of Tasmania |
WA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Edith Cowan University | Edith Cowan University |
Curtin University | Curtin University |
Murdoch University | Murdoch University |
University of Western Australia |
SA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Flinders University | Flinders University |
University of South Australia | University of South Australia |
University of Adelaide | University of Adelaide |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a psychologist.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Veterinarian and veterinary nurse
Best universities for veterinary science, in order:
VIC
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
La Trobe University | La Trobe University |
NSW
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Charles Sturt University | Charles Sturt University |
University of Sydney | University of Sydney |
ACT & NT
N/A
QLD
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
James Cook University | James Cook University |
University of Queensland | University of Queensland |
TAS
N/A
WA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Murdoch University | Murdoch University |
SA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Adelaide | N/A |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a vet or veterinary nurse.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Registered nurse (in the fields of aged care, child and family health, community health, developmental disability, medical, mental health and more)
Best nursing university in Australia, in order:
VIC
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Deakin University | Monash University |
Swinburne University of Technology | Deakin University |
La Trobe University | La Trobe University |
Federation University | Federation University |
Monash University | RMIT University |
NSW
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Avondale University | Charles Sturt University |
University of Wollongong | Southern Cross University |
University of Sydney | University of Sydney |
University of New England | University of Technology Sydney |
University of Technology Sydney | University of Newcastle |
ACT & NT
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Charles Darwin University | University of Canberra |
University of Canberra | Charles Darwin University |
QLD
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Griffith University | James Cook University |
University of Sunshine Coast | University of Southern Queensland |
James Cook University | University of Queensland |
University of Queensland | Queensland University of Technology |
University of Southern Queensland | Bond University |
TAS
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Tasmania | University of Tasmania |
WA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Edith Cowan University | Curtin University |
Murdoch University | Murdoch University |
Curtin University | Edith Cowan University |
SA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Adelaide | University of South Australia |
University of South Australia | University of Adelaide |
Flinders University | Flinders University |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a registered nurse.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Medical practitioner
Best universities in Australia for medicine, in order:
VIC
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Monash University | Deakin University |
Monash University | |
University of Melbourne |
NSW
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Sydney | University of Western Sydney |
University of Wollongong | University of New South Wales |
University of New England | University of Newcastle |
University of New South Wales | University of New England |
University of Newcastle | University of Sydney |
ACT & NT
N/A
QLD
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
James Cook University | James Cook University |
Bond University |
TAS
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Tasmania | University of Tasmania |
WA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Curtin University | Curtin University |
University of Western Australia |
SA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Flinders University | Adelaide University |
Adelaide University |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a medical practitioner.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Dentist
Best dentistry universities in Australia, in order:
VIC
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
La Trobe University | La Trobe University |
University of Melbourne | University of Melbourne |
NSW
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Newcastle | Charles Sturt University |
Charles Sturt University | University of Newcastle |
University of Sydney | University of Sydney |
ACT & NT
N/A
QLD
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
James Cook University | James Cook University |
Griffith University | University of Queensland |
University of Queensland |
TAS
N/A
WA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Curtin University | N/A |
SA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Adelaide | University of Adelaide |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a dentist.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Electrical and civil engineers
Best engineering universities in Australia, in order:
VIC
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
Deakin University | Monash University |
RMIT University | La Trobe University |
Federation University | Deakin University |
Victoria University | Swinburne University of Technology |
La Trobe University | RMIT University |
NSW
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
Southern Cross University | University of Wollongong |
Charles Sturt University | University of Newcastle |
University of Newcastle | University of Sydney |
University of Sydney | University of New South Wales |
University of Wollongong | University of Technology Sydney |
ACT & NT
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
University of Canberra | Charles Darwin University |
Australian National University | Australian National University |
Charles Darwin University |
QLD
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
University of Southern Queensland | University of Southern Queensland |
University of Sunshine Coast | James Cook University |
University of Queensland | University of Queensland |
James Cook University | University of Sunshine Coast |
Griffith University | Queensland University of Technology |
TAS
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
University of Tasmania | University of Tasmania |
WA
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
Edith Cowan University | Curtin University |
Curtin University | Murdoch University |
Murdoch University | Edith Cowan University |
University of Western Australia |
SA
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
Flinders University | Flinders University |
University of South Australia | University of Adelaide |
University of Adelaide | University of South Australia |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a civil engineer and electrical engineer.
Professions facing national skills shortages: Physiotherapist
Best physiology universities in Australia, in order:
VIC
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Federation University | Monash University |
Deakin University | La Trobe University |
La Trobe University | Deakin University |
NSW
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Southern Cross University | Charles Sturt University |
University of Newcastle | University of Newcastle |
University of Sydney | Western Sydney University |
Western Sydney University | Southern Cross University |
Charles Sturt University | University of Sydney |
ACT & NT
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Canberra | University of Canberra |
QLD
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
University of Sunshine Coast | James Cook University |
Griffith University | University of Sunshine Coast |
James Cook University | University of Queensland |
University of Queensland | Griffith University |
TAS
N/A
WA
Overall experience | Full-time employment |
Edith Cowan University | Edith Cowan University |
Curtin University | Curtin University |
SA
Overall Experience | Full-time employment |
Flinders University | University of South Australia |
University of South Australia | Flinders University |
University of Adelaide |
If you want to learn more about the relevant courses of study, check out our guide on how to become a physiotherapist.
