Which Australian Universities Have the Most FTE Staff?
The data for 2022 reveals a comprehensive overview of the full-time staff equivalent (FTE) numbers across Australian universities. With a grand total of 111,071 FTE staff, the distribution across states and institutions highlights both the scale of operations and the diversity in the size of universities across the country.
Overview by State
- New South Wales (NSW) leads in staff numbers with a total of 31,398 FTEs across its institutions. The University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales are notable for their large staff sizes, with 7,575 and 6,434 FTEs, respectively, underscoring their significant roles in the state's higher education sector.
- Victoria follows closely with 30,331 FTE staff. The University of Melbourne stands out with 8,430 FTEs, making it one of the largest employers in the sector nationally.
- Queensland reports 21,120 FTE staff, with The University of Queensland being the largest in the state at 7,393 FTEs.
- Western Australia and South Australia also make substantial contributions to the academic workforce with 9,707 and 8,031 FTEs, respectively.
- Australian Capital Territory (ACT), despite its smaller size, has a significant concentration of academic staff, totaling 5,287 FTEs, largely due to The Australian National University's 4,216 FTEs.
Notable Institutions
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The University of Melbourne in Victoria and The University of Sydney in NSW are among the largest employers, indicative of their comprehensive research and teaching operations.
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The University of Queensland in Queensland, with 7,393 FTEs, and The University of Western Australia in Western Australia, with 3,128 FTEs, are also significant contributors to the academic workforce.
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Monash University, also in Victoria, employs 7,351 FTE staff, further highlighting the state's significant investment in higher education.
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On the smaller end of the scale, institutions like Avondale University in NSW and University of Divinity in Victoria, with 133 and 199 FTEs respectively, showcase the diversity in university sizes and potentially more specialized offerings.
Special Notes
- The Multi-State category, represented solely by the Australian Catholic University with 1,877 FTEs, illustrates the unique structure of certain institutions that operate across state boundaries.
- Northern Territory has the smallest total FTE staff count at 661, reflecting its more focused higher education landscape.
- Tasmania's academic staff is entirely concentrated at the University of Tasmania with 2,659 FTEs, emphasizing its pivotal role in the state's tertiary education.
Data Table: FTE Staff by State and Institution (2022)
| State | Institution | Sum of FTE Staff Count |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | 5,287 | |
| The Australian National University | 4,216 | |
| University of Canberra | 1,071 | |
| Multi-State | 1,877 | |
| Australian Catholic University | 1,877 | |
| New South Wales | 31,398 | |
| Charles Sturt University | 1,873 | |
| Macquarie University | 2,819 | |
| Southern Cross University | 852 | |
| The University of New England | 1,108 | |
| The University of Newcastle | 2,672 | |
| The University of Sydney | 7,575 | |
| University of New South Wales | 6,434 | |
| University of Technology Sydney | 3,211 | |
| University of Wollongong | 2,231 | |
| Western Sydney University | 2,490 | |
| Avondale University | 133 | |
| Northern Territory | 661 | |
| Charles Darwin University | 638 | |
| Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education | 23 | |
| Queensland | 21,120 | |
| Bond University | 730 | |
| CQUniversity | 1,466 | |
| Griffith University | 3,556 | |
| James Cook University | 1,792 | |
| Queensland University of Technology | 3,630 | |
| The University of Queensland | 7,393 | |
| University of Southern Queensland | 1,453 | |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | 1,101 | |
| South Australia | 8,031 | |
| Flinders University | 1,996 | |
| The University of Adelaide | 3,104 | |
| Torrens University Australia | 272 | |
| University of South Australia | 2,658 | |
| Tasmania | 2,659 | |
| University of Tasmania | 2,659 | |
| Victoria | 30,331 | |
| Deakin University | 4,075 | |
| Federation University Australia | 1,179 | |
| La Trobe University | 2,306 | |
| Monash University | 7,351 | |
| RMIT University | 3,748 | |
| Swinburne University of Technology | 1,742 | |
| The University of Melbourne | 8,430 | |
| University of Divinity | 199 | |
| Victoria University | 1,300 | |
| Western Australia | 9,707 | |
| Curtin University | 2,997 | |
| Edith Cowan University | 1,519 | |
| Murdoch University | 1,346 | |
| The University of Notre Dame Australia | 718 | |
| The University of Western Australia | 3,128 | |
| Grand Total | 111,071 |
References
Australian Government Department of Education, n.d., Education, viewed (14 February 2024), https://www.education.gov.au/.