A practical 2026 guide to picking the best courses to study in Australia for jobs backed by labour data, visas and real employer demand.
Australia has become a top hub for international students pursuing higher education. But choosing a course in Australia isn’t just about what you enjoy. It’s about what employers actually need. If your goal is to study abroad and land a good job (and stay), you should target programs that match Australia’s labour shortages and growth industries.
This guide will show you how to select courses that boost employability, identify fields that are currently hiring, and provide practical steps to transition your studies into a career. We’ve focused on the best courses to study in Australia for jobs and the high-demand courses in Australia that give you the strongest chance of work after graduation. Let’s dive in!
Why Course Choice Matters
Australia’s labour market is expanding rapidly. Jobs and Skills Australia projects strong employment growth in the coming years, with a significant share of new roles expected in health, digital services, and construction. Recent graduate surveys show that postgraduate coursework students have high employment rates (around 90% in some reports), and median graduate salaries have been rising.
Meanwhile, the Australian skilled occupation lists and state priority lists continue to prioritise professions such as nursing, ICT, engineering and teaching. It is a clear signal of high-demand courses in Australia.
Top Sectors & The Courses Employers Want
Based on a comprehensive analysis of skills shortage lists, employment data, salary outcomes, and PR pathways, certain courses consistently deliver exceptional employability results. These represent the best courses to study in Australia for jobs from both employment and immigration perspectives. Below is the detailed list.
Engineering Disciplines
Engineering graduates enjoy Australia’s strongest employment outcomes, with 91% securing full-time work within four months and average starting salaries of AUD $72,000. All major engineering disciplines, including civil, mechanical, electrical, software, mining, and chemical, appear on skilled occupation lists with clear PR pathways.
Mining and petroleum engineering offer extraordinary earning potential, with graduates often starting at AUD $85,000-$100,000 in Western Australia and Queensland, where the resources sectors drive regional economies. Software engineering combines excellent salaries with unlimited career locations, as every Australian city has thriving tech sectors. Civil engineering particularly benefits from Australia’s ongoing infrastructure boom, with massive government investments in transport, housing, and renewable energy projects.
Choose engineering if you have strong mathematics and problem-solving abilities, enjoy practical application of scientific principles, and want virtually guaranteed employment with premium salaries. The four-year commitment and rigorous curriculum require dedication, but the career outcomes justify the investment for suitable students.
Healthcare Professions
Australia’s ageing population and healthcare expansion create huge demand for health professionals. Nursing stands out as perhaps the single best employment choice, with 96% employment rates, excellent starting salaries (AUD $65,000-$75,000), and guaranteed PR pathways. Every Australian state faces nursing shortages, making this truly recession-proof career.
Other health professions showing exceptional outcomes include physiotherapy (92% employment, AUD $68,000 starting salary), occupational therapy (89% employment), and medical laboratory science (91% employment). Even during economic downturns, healthcare remains stable. Australians always need medical care regardless of economic conditions.
The emotional rewards of healthcare careers provide additional non-financial benefits that many professionals find deeply satisfying. If you have empathy, communication skills, and a genuine desire to help others, healthcare professions are a perfect fit, offering job security, good salaries, and meaningful work.
Information Technology
Digital transformation across industries is driving explosive demand for IT professionals. Data science, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and software development represent some of the fastest-growing occupations in Australia. Employers are actively recruiting internationally due to an insufficient domestic supply.
Starting salaries for IT graduates average AUD $68,000, with specialisations like cybersecurity commanding premiums reaching AUD $75,000-$85,000 even at entry level. Career progression is rapid with experienced IT professionals regularly earning AUD $100,000-$150,000+ within 5-7 years. All major IT roles appear on skilled occupation lists, providing straightforward PR pathways.
IT careers offer exceptional flexibility, including remote work options, contract opportunities, and global mobility. If you enjoy problem-solving, continuous learning, and working with technology, IT represents one of the most future-proof career choices.
Business Analytics and Data Science
As organisations become increasingly data-driven, business analytics and data science graduates are among Australia’s most sought-after professionals. These roles blend business expertise with technical skills, analysing data to drive strategic decisions. Demand consistently exceeds supply, with 89% employment rates and starting salaries around AUD $70,000.
Major consulting firms, banks, retailers, government agencies, and virtually every large organisation now employ data professionals. The versatility of these skills means you’re not locked into specific industries. Data analytics expertise transfers across all sectors, providing career security and diverse opportunities.
This field particularly suits students with strong analytical abilities, an interest in business strategy, and comfort with both technical tools and stakeholder communication. The combination of technical and business skills makes data professionals difficult to replace with automation, ensuring long-term career viability.
Construction and Project Management
Australia’s $120 billion infrastructure pipeline through 2030 creates sustained demand for construction managers, project managers, quantity surveyors, and construction estimators. These roles combine technical knowledge with business management, overseeing major building, infrastructure, and engineering projects.
Employment rates exceed 88% with starting salaries around AUD $65,000 that quickly accelerate with experience – senior project managers regularly earn AUD $120,000-$150,000+. All these occupations appear on skilled occupation lists, particularly favouring regional areas where major infrastructure projects are often located.
If you enjoy leadership, problem-solving, working on tangible outcomes, and coordinating teams toward common goals, construction and project management is perfect for you. It offers excellent career prospects within Australia’s booming building and infrastructure sectors.
How to choose a course that maximises employability
Follow these practical steps to choose the perfect course for you:
- Match courses to employer demand: Check Jobs and Skills Australia, state skilled occupation lists and university employer partnerships. Prioritise programs linked to occupations on the Skilled Occupation List if your long-term plan includes skilled migration.
- Prefer industry-linked programs: Look for degrees with compulsory internships, industry capstones, co-op placements or guaranteed work-integrated learning. These translate into interviews and job offers.
- Check graduate outcomes: Universities publish Graduate Outcomes Surveys (employment rates, median salaries). Higher employability rates matter more than prestige for job-focused study. Keep this in mind.
- Choose accredited programs: Fields like engineering, accounting, teaching and health require professional accreditation. It is essential for registration and employability.
- Regional vs Metro: Study in regional campuses if you want better PSW pathways and fewer local competitors. Some regional courses also offer easier pathways to permanent residency.
- Skill up with micro-credentials: Add short courses and certificates (cloud, coding bootcamps, data tools) to stand out.
- Network & soft skills: Employer surveys repeatedly highlight communication, teamwork, and problem-solving as decisive. Choose courses with group projects and real-world briefs.
Visa & post-study work essentials
Australia’s Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) allows many international graduates to stay and work after completing an eligible course. Post-study work durations vary by level and course, and some regional study options offer longer stay rights and stronger PR pathways. Always check the current visa rules and CRICOS status before enrolling. Securing relevant work experience while studying is the fastest route to convert study into a career.
Red Flags: Courses with Lower Employability
While every field has successful graduates, certain courses consistently show weaker employment outcomes that prospective international students should approach cautiously. This doesn’t mean avoiding these fields entirely if they genuinely represent your passion, but rather making informed decisions with realistic expectations.
Generalist degrees without specialisation – such as general arts, general business, or general science often struggle in competitive job markets. Employers prefer candidates with specific expertise. If drawn to these fields, add specialisations, double majors, or complementary certifications that provide clear value propositions to employers.
Over-saturated professional fields like architecture and law show concerning trends. Despite professional status and reasonable salaries once established, these fields face significant oversupply relative to available positions. Many graduates struggle to find positions matching their qualifications, accepting underemployment or leaving their fields entirely. Architecture particularly challenges international students, as professional registration requirements can be complex for foreign graduates.
Creative and performing arts represent passionate fields where employment often requires entrepreneurial approaches, portfolio careers combining multiple income streams, or acceptance of lower financial returns in exchange for creative fulfilment. The 68% full-time employment rate for creative arts reflects these realities. If committed to creative fields, develop strong business and digital marketing skills to successfully build sustainable creative careers.
Course Examples That Tick All Boxes (Better to Choose From These)
If you want a shortlist of high-demand courses in Australia that consistently convert into jobs, consider:
- Master of Nursing / Graduate Diploma (Nursing)
- MSc Data Science / Master of Cyber Security
- Master of Engineering (Civil/Electrical)
- Master of Business Analytics / Master of Accounting (with CPA pathway)
- Bachelor/Master of Teaching (Primary/Early Childhood)
- Master’s in Project Management
These are commonly recommended as the best courses to study in Australia for jobs because they combine demand, professional accreditation and clear career pathways.
Budget & return on investment
Tuition in Australia varies widely. For example, vocational diplomas can be AUD 7k–15k/year, bachelor’s AUD 20k–50k/year, and master’s AUD 25k–55k/year, depending on the university and field. Compare expected starting salaries – e.g., graduate IT or engineering roles often start higher than many humanities degrees to evaluate ROI. Scholarships, part-time work (student visas typically allow limited hours), and paid internships can reduce costs and improve long-term returns.
Final checklist before you apply
Before choosing a course in Australia, make sure you get proper answers to these questions.
- Does the program include internships or placements?
- Is it accredited by the relevant professional body?
- Are graduates getting jobs within 6–12 months? (check graduate surveys)
- Does the course match an occupation on state or national skilled lists?
- Can you build industry-relevant micro-credentials alongside it?
- If you can tick most of these, you’re on the right track.
Maximising Success After Enrollment
Selecting the right course is only the first step. Maximising its employment value requires strategic actions throughout your studies. Develop professional networks from day one by joining relevant student associations, attending industry events, and connecting with faculty who maintain industry relationships. Many Australian jobs emerge through networking rather than advertised positions.
Build a strong professional online presence, particularly on LinkedIn, showcasing projects, achievements, and growing expertise. Australian employers routinely review candidates’ online profiles when making hiring decisions. Document your learning journey, share insights about your field, and engage with industry discussions to demonstrate enthusiasm and knowledge.
Pursue relevant certifications and additional qualifications that complement your degree. For example, IT students might obtain AWS or Azure certifications; business students could pursue Salesforce credentials; engineering students might gain specialised software proficiencies. These certifications signal initiative and provide concrete skills employers value.
Utilise your post-study work visa strategically. Accept relevant entry positions even if they’re not perfect, as Australian work experience significantly strengthens future applications and PR prospects. Many international students make the mistake of waiting for ideal positions, wasting precious post-study work visa time. Gaining Australian employment experience trumps holding out for perfect roles.
Ready to pick a course that gives you a real chance at a career in Australia? AGP helps you match your skills and budget to high-demand courses, find scholarships, and build an application that employers notice. Get free expert counselling with AGP today and plan a study pathway that leads to work and settlement in Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
What are the best courses to study in Australia for jobs?
Nursing, IT (data & cyber), engineering, business analytics, accounting and project management top the list.
What are the high-demand courses in Australia for 2026?
Data science, cybersecurity, nursing, civil engineering and project management.
Do the best courses lead to post-study work rights?
Yes – many eligible courses offer Temporary Graduate visa options; regional study can offer extended pathways.
How can I check a course’s graduate employment rate?
Look at the university’s Graduate Outcomes Survey or national QILT data for employment and salary stats.
Do Australian employers prefer certain universities for graduate hiring?
While the Group of Eight universities have strong reputations, employers increasingly value practical experience over institutional prestige.