The top universities in Adelaide and South Australia for 2022
South Australian students are spoilt for choice, with several campuses around Adelaide’s city centre. There are also providers in Whyalla and the state’s second-largest city, Mt Gambier.
Undergraduate degrees are available in all the general disciplines (science and the arts, for example) and the professions, including dentistry, law, medicine and engineering. There is plenty more on offer in the niche fields as well.
You could find yourself studying winemaking, hospitality, nursing, English or psychology. And as you might expect from the home state of the renowned WOMADelaide festival, South Australia also claims a strong history in music education.
The state is as famous for its festivals, food and wine as it is for the stunning desert and beach locales, all in easy reach of Adelaide. Known as the city of churches, Adelaide is the capital and cultural heart of South Australia. It boasts elegant colonial architecture, beautiful parks and gardens, museums, thriving pubs and restaurants, and hosts numerous world-class events.
One of Adelaide’s main drawcards is its slower pace and relaxed lifestyle, while still offering the conveniences and excitement of a big city. Adelaide is big enough to offer all the essentials of a large city, but many find it less hectic and overwhelming than Sydney or Melbourne. There is plenty for students to see and do, and enjoying a lot of it won’t break the bank either — South Australia is one of the cheaper states.
Where to study in South Australia
Universities with campuses in South Australia include:
The best universities in South Australia for study in 2022
There is no one university that is best for all students, since different things matter to different people. Our ratings provide a series of insights on Australian universities, helping those in the process of deciding where to study.
Courses and institutions differ in many ways and only the student can decide which differences really matter to them. Check out the ratings for universities in South Australia and filter by study level (undergraduate or postgraduate). Some ratings are also available to filter further by field of study.
In the tables below, we’ve listed the university that ranked highest in each rating category for South Australia in the 2022 edition of The Good Universities Guide ratings.
Characteristics
Rating type | Definition | Top university |
The proportion of domestic students enrolling at each university from low socioeconomic or disadvantaged backgrounds | CQUniversity – 39% | |
The proportion of staff who hold a masters or doctoral degree | ||
Where high-achieving students choose to study — compares the proportion of commencing students with high ATAR scores at each university | University of South Australia — Low: 0.2 Medium: 0.65 High: 0.15 | |
The number of students per teaching staff member | The University of Adelaide — 21:1 | |
The proportion of domestic students commencing a bachelor degree whose parents’ education is known and did not exceed Year 12 | CQUniversity — 50% |
The Student Experience
Rating type | Definition | Top university | Top university |
The proportion of students who felt they were engaged with learning in their institution | Torrens University Australia — 60.7% | ||
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the learning resources provided by their institution | University of South Australia — 85.8% | University of South Australia — 84.3% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the overall quality of their educational experience | CQUniversity — 76.5% | Torrens University Australia — 74.9% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the skill development they experienced through their studies | Torrens University Australia — 83.5% | ||
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the support they received from their institution | Flinders University — 78.2% | University of South Australia — 78.5% | |
The proportion of students who were satisfied with the quality of teaching they experienced | CQUniversity — 81.8% | Torrens University Australia — 81.3% |
Graduate Outcomes
Rating type | Definition | Top university | Top university |
The median salary of graduates from different universities | CQUniversity — $67,800 | CQUniversity — $98,800 | |
The employment rates of graduates from different universities | CQUniversity — 77.7% |
Head to the Ratings tab to view our most recent ratings for South Australian universities — filter by subject and level of study to find the one that suits.
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