Australian tertiary education providers spent a combined ad spend of $175.5 million in the financial year to June 2024, according to Nielsen Consumer and Media View (CMV) data.
And there was a 19% jump from May to June this year.
Social media accounted for 60% of the total ad spend by institutions, with general display also heavily used in the ad mix.
When it comes to ads, Australian secondary students looking to pursue tertiary education in the next 12 months are 75% more likely than the average population to respond to online ads, 2.5 times more likely to click on video ads, and almost 2.8 times as likely to click on banner ads.
Nearly a third (32%) find online and mobile ads useful, if tailored to their interests, which is 48% higher than the average population.
The percentage of Australians (aged 16 and above) expressing an intention to study at TAFE or University has also risen - in 2019 7% to 15% in 2023, then rising to 22% in 2024.
Predictably, the largest group intending to undertake tertiary study within the upcoming year are high school graduates aged 16 to 17, however older generations are also looking to hit the books.
Age breakdown of those intending to undertake tertiary study in the next 12 months:
16-17: 49%
18-24: 18%
25-39: 22%
40-54: 17%
55+: 4%
The data also reveals that 75% of those wanting to pursue tertiary education over the course of the following year are currently employed, with 44% working full time, 31% working part-time, and 18% working casually, indicating a desire to upskill and improve their qualifications.
54% of those intending to study are parents, or have children at home. Among this group, 20% have at least one child under 5 years old, 27% have at least one child between 5-12 years old, and another 27% have at least one child between 13-17 years old.
Nielsen Ad Intel Australia commercial lead Rose Lopreiato said this sector is so important as reflected in the ad spend numbers.
"They demonstrate the difficulty of attracting students as they consider their TAFE or university options in such a competitive market and highlight the need for education providers to reach the right demographics, in the right places, at the right time - and nothing does that better than Ad Intel," Lopreiato said.
Nielsen pacific head of advanced analytics Glenn Channell said high school graduates aside, more and more Australians are considering tertiary education..
"So it’s never been more crucial for tertiary institutions to offer educational opportunities and career advancement to an increasingly diverse range of people, especially those with family commitments," Channell said.
"Nielsen CMV allows them to do that - viewing potential Tertiary Education customers through an advanced audience lens, delivering a more holistic picture of behaviours, preferences, and lifestyle habits unmatched in the market.”
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