Plan your studiesMost Popular Degrees in Australia

Most Popular Degrees in Australia

Students from all places of origin hope to study in Australia at some point in their lives. The Australian education system is one of the most attractive in the world, due to the great quality of education and the easy process of immigration.

According to QS World University Rankings, the strong reputation that Australia holds is backed up by the fact that its universities are listed at the top 100 universities, including the Australian National University (ANU), the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), to name a few.

In case you are unsure of your career path, here are some of the most popular degrees in Australia to help you decide:

1. Accounting

You can never go wrong if you choose to pursue a degree in Accounting. All the big corporates in Australia have a high demand for accounting services. One of the main reasons is that a company cannot survive without an accountant due to their responsibility of financing. Accounting majors usually tend to undertake a second degree so they can graduate with a double major in a relatable field. 

Here is a list of a few Australian universities that offer a degree in Accounting:

  • University of New South Wales
  • Monash University
  • Australian National University
  • University of Sydney
  • University of Melbourne 
  • University of Queensland
  • University of Western Australia 

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting will open the doors to numerous career opportunities, such as the ones mentioned below: :

JobsAverage Annual Salary 
Taxation Officers$77,466
Bankers$54,152
Entrepreneurs$104,946
Forensic Accountants$83,112
Investment Managers$119,839
Auditors$67,778
Stockbroking Managers$67,319
Traders$94,455
Investment Analysts$103,657
Financial Advisors$100,686
Management Consultants$101,814

2. Actuarial Science

Actuarial Science is a challenging and stimulating career, the main focus being the management of financial risk in a work setting. Some of the requirements to pursue a degree in Actuarial Science include mathematical and analytical skills as well as an understanding of the field of economics and finance. 

Undergraduate and graduate Actuarial Science degrees are available in the following Australian universities:

  • Montpellier Business School
  • Bond University
  • Macquarie University
  • Australian National University 

As a recent graduate, you are eligible to pursue a career as an Actuarial Analyst, Pricing Associate, or Portfolio Analyst. The average salary of an Actuarial Science major is approximately $122,000 per year.

3. Agricultural Science

Australia has a great reputation for education in the field of Agricultural Science. The classes taught at Australian universities prepare students with skills and abilities that they can showcase internationally. The science of Agriculture is a great degree choice for students who are interested in managing livestock.

Some of the best universities that have available degrees in Agricultural Science are: 

  • University of Queensland
  • University of Western Australia
  • University of Sydney
  • University of Melbourne

Getting a bachelor degree in this field of study is all it takes to be qualified for several career positions in the following areas: 

  • Horticulture – $54,957 to $73,533 per year
  • Agronomy– $85,488 per year 
  • Agribusiness and marketing – $70,000 per year
  • Livestock expert – $80,830 to $89,897 per year
  • Land care management – $68,536 to $102,820 per year
  • Cropping – $50,000 per year
  • Procurement and production specialist – $111,117 per year 

4. Architecture 

Choosing to major in Architecture means you are ought to study more than one discipline. You are introduced to several courses throughout the entire university experience. One thing to look forward to if you choose a career in Architecture degree s the never-ending thrill of working as an Architect.

Professional architects are in high demand in Australia, however, the requirements differ depending on the specialization. Some of the most popular jobs in the field of Architecture are listed below: 

  • Architect – $82,450 per year
  • Architectural technologist – $64,496 – per year
  • Building control surveyor – $93,738 per year
  • CAD technician – $80,628 per year
  • Fire risk assessor – $61,016 – $67,410 per year
  • Interior and spatial designer – $80,000 per year 
  • Town planner – $67,238 per year 
  • Urban designer – $69,564 per year

You can get a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at one of the 40 universities available in Australia. Almost all the universities offer a 3-year program with tuition starting from $96,000 to $135,000. 

Here are some of the top universities that offer a Bachelors of Architecture in Australia: 

  • University of Sydney 
  • University of Melbourne 
  • RMIT University
  • University of New South Wales
  • University of Queensland
  • Monash University
  • The Queensland University of Technology

5. Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering has become a very common discipline among Australians in the last few years. Interestingly, 32% of Biomedical Engineering admissions are women, in comparison to the overall women enrollment in engineering which is around 20%. If you decide to pursue a degree in bioengineering, you need to make sure you possess some basic skills that are considered necessary in the industry. Examples of such skills would include analytical skills, creativity, communication skills, math skills, as well as critical thinking skills.

Below you can find the list of universities offering this degree in Australia along  with career opportunities after graduating:                     

  • University of Tasmania 
  • University of Technology Sydney
  • The University of Queensland
  • The University of Western Australia
  • RMIT University
  • The University of Wollongong and several more with only 1 course available

Biomedical engineering career paths include: 

  • Biomaterials Developer – $84,956 per year
  • Manufacturing Engineer – $79,314 per year 
  • Independent Consultant – $49,413 per year
  • Doctor – $90,000 per year
  • Biomedical Scientist/Researcher – $107,697 per year
  • Rehabilitation Engineer – $201,136 per year
  • Medical Technology Developer – $95,104 a year

6. Core Engineering

Core engineering includes the fundamental engineering branches such as Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil Engineering. When it comes to engineering, students highly benefit from the flexibility of the Australian education system. There is a big advantage for international students, considering the lack of engineers that the Australian industry is experiencing lately. 

There are three divisions of Engineering positions that you can pursue in Australia. Professional Engineers (4-year degree program) Engineering Technologists (3-year degree program) and Engineering Associates (2-year Associate Degree). You can study Engineering at almost all the universities in Australia that were previously mentioned. 

The top highest-paying engineering careers include: :

  • Big Data Engineer – $154,054 per year
  • Petroleum Engineer – $187,336 per year 
  • Computer Hardware Engineer – $111,796 per year
  • Aerospace Engineer – $72,500 per year 
  • Nuclear Engineer – $148,642 per year
  • Systems Engineer – $102,594 per year
  • Chemical Engineer – $92,426 per year
  • Electrical Engineer – $86,000 per year
  • Biomedical Engineer – $201,136 per year
  • Environmental Engineer – $71,448 per year

7. Computer Science and Information Technology

Regardless of the university, computer science and information technology degrees will cover similar courses. Students will begin their journey by learning the basics of programming, where mathematical skills are recommended but not necessarily demanded. Data Structures and Web Development might sound identical, however, each of them requires proper attention.

Some of the top universities for computer science and information technology in Australia include:

  • The University of Melbourne
  • The Australian National University
  • The University of New South Wales
  • The University of Sydney
  • The University of Queensland
  • Monash University
  • Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
  • RMIT University
  • The University of Adelaide
  • The University of Western Australia 

Computer Science and IT degree grants you a career pathway full of diversity and an interchangeable working environment. IT is a wide industry with unlimited opportunities to choose from.

Some of the most popular IT careers among graduates include:

Careers in ITAverage salary per year
Computer Programming$79,812 
Web Development$79,999
Engineering and Business Analysis$110,973
Software Engineering$94,459
Information Security Analysis$101,078
Applications Development$100,415
System Analysis$84,165
Systems Design$104,569

Latest Articles

More articles