Exploring the Backbone of Australian Universities: A Deep Dive into Staff Roles and Numbers
Key Findings
Total Staff Numbers: The grand total of FTE staff across all categories and states in Australian universities was 646,280 (2022), encompassing both academic and non-academic roles.
Academic Staff Distribution: Number of FTE staff above Senior Lecturer positions was recorded at 73,801. Lecturer (Level B) positions followed closely with 83,473 FTE staff. Senior Lecturer (Level C) positions were held by 55,142 FTE staff. Below Lecturer (Level A) positions accounted for 82,284 FTE staff.
Non-Academic Staff: The non-academic classification level group significantly outnumbered academic staff with a total of 351,579 FTE positions.
State-Wide Distribution
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New South Wales emerged as the state with the highest number of FTE staff, totalling 186,323 across all categories, with a notable concentration in non-academic roles (101,633).
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Victoria and Queensland also showed significant academic workforce sizes, with Victoria having 176,978 FTE staff and Queensland with 120,933.
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The Australian Capital Territory and Multi-State institutions presented a smaller, yet impactful, workforce with totals of 29,836 and 11,305 FTE staff, respectively.
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Tasmania and the Northern Territory had the lowest FTE staff numbers, with 10,392 and 2,072, respectively.
Institutional Highlights
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The University of Sydney and The University of Melbourne were notable for their large academic staff numbers, particularly in roles above Senior Lecturer and within the Lecturer (Level B) classifications. This indicates a significant investment in research and teaching.
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The Australian National University and University of Queensland stood out for their substantial contributions to the academic workforce, especially in higher academic positions.
Data Table: FTE Staff by Function across Australian Universities (2022)
| State | Institution | Above Senior Lecturer | Below lecturer (Level A) | Lecturer (Level B) | Non-academic classification level group | Senior lecturer (Level C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 4,031 | 3,071 | 3,321 | 16,248 | 2,165 | |
| The Australian National University | 3,136 | 2,766 | 2,620 | 13,169 | 1,631 | |
| University of Canberra | 895 | 305 | 701 | 3,080 | 534 | |
| Multi-State | 840 | 1,516 | 1,947 | 5,972 | ** 934** | |
| Australian Catholic University | 840 | 1,516 | 1,947 | 5,972 | 934 | |
| New South Wales | 22,129 | 24,035 | 22,030 | 101,633 | 15,496 | |
| Charles Sturt University | 691 | 854 | 2,291 | 6,390 | 951 | |
| Macquarie University | 2,211 | 2,696 | 1,664 | 9,365 | 1,509 | |
| Southern Cross University | 430 | 703 | 685 | 2,993 | 430 | |
| The University of New England | 647 | 665 | 957 | 4,008 | 650 | |
| The University of Newcastle | 1,725 | 2,217 | 1,658 | 8,756 | 1,211 | |
| The University of Sydney | 5,827 | 5,916 | 4,695 | 23,635 | 3,133 | |
| University of New South Wales | 4,762 | 4,973 | 3,813 | 19,677 | 3,166 | |
| University of Technology Sydney | 2,487 | 2,110 | 2,736 | 10,443 | 1,582 | |
| University of Wollongong | 1,645 | 1,407 | 1,624 | 7,299 | 1,300 | |
| Western Sydney University | 1,640 | 2,450 | 1,748 | 8,566 | 1,462 | |
| Avondale University | 63 | 42 | 158 | 502 | 101 | |
| Northern Territory | 342 | 399 | ** 717** | 1,769 | 313 | |
| Charles Darwin University | 307 | 395 | 633 | 1,735 | 307 | |
| Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education | 35 | 4 | 84 | 33 | 6 | |
| Queensland | 12,811 | 16,232 | 13,616 | 68,257 | 9,917 | |
| Bond University | 622 | 715 | 313 | 2,557 | 194 | |
| CQUniversity | 645 | 979 | 1,578 | 4,500 | 913 | |
| Griffith University | 2,291 | 2,642 | 2,077 | 12,088 | 2,029 | |
| James Cook University | 1,089 | 817 | 1,249 | 5,611 | 994 | |
| Queensland University of Technology | 2,568 | 3,433 | 2,387 | 12,376 | 1,932 | |
| The University of Queensland | 4,276 | 5,784 | 3,976 | 22,674 | 2,565 | |
| University of Southern Queensland | 789 | 955 | 1,226 | 4,729 | 735 | |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | 531 | 907 | 811 | 3,723 | 555 | |
| South Australia | 5,098 | 6,869 | 6,842 | 24,181 | 4,388 | |
| Flinders University | 1,374 | 1,661 | 1,437 | 6,175 | 961 | |
| The University of Adelaide | 2,259 | 2,444 | 2,060 | 9,966 | 1,651 | |
| Torrens University Australia | 132 | 19 | 1,571 | 26 | 340 | |
| University of South Australia | 1,333 | 2,744 | 1,774 | 8,013 | 1,435 | |
| Tasmania | 1,365 | 1,403 | 2,322 | 8,288 | 1,404 | |
| University of Tasmania | 1,365 | 1,403 | 2,322 | 8,288 | 1,404 | |
| Victoria | 21,037 | 23,438 | 24,889 | 92,702 | 14,912 | |
| Deakin University | 2,374 | 3,331 | 3,325 | 13,085 | 2,285 | |
| Federation University Australia | 380 | 697 | 976 | 3,961 | 398 | |
| La Trobe University | 1,385 | 1,764 | 2,434 | 8,051 | 1,229 | |
| Monash University | 4,483 | 6,978 | 4,676 | 23,363 | 3,319 | |
| RMIT University | 2,121 | 856 | 5,266 | 10,996 | 1,930 | |
| Swinburne University of Technology | 1,271 | 2,266 | 2,022 | 5,696 | 1,515 | |
| The University of Melbourne | 8,256 | 6,648 | 4,869 | 22,640 | 3,538 | |
| University of Divinity | 150 | 64 | 248 | 359 | 151 | |
| Victoria University | 617 | 835 | 1,073 | 4,553 | 548 | |
| Western Australia | 6,148 | 5,321 | 7,788 | 32,529 | 5,612 | |
| Curtin University | 1,870 | 1,263 | 3,052 | 9,948 | 1,783 | |
| Edith Cowan University | 680 | 994 | 1,191 | 5,537 | 734 | |
| Murdoch University | 706 | 1,410 | 921 | 4,703 | 740 | |
| The University of Notre Dame Australia | 561 | 88 | 837 | 2,096 | 640 | |
| The University of Western Australia | 2,330 | 1,566 | 1,787 | 10,245 | 1,715 | |
| Grand Total | 73,801 | 82,284 | 83,473 | 351,579 | 55,142 |
References
Australian Government Department of Education, n.d., Education, viewed (15 February 2024), https://www.education.gov.au/.