No time series comparisons have been made due to significant changes in the study question in successive census years.
More women than men were studying in 2006
In 2006, 16 percent of people aged 15 years and over were engaged in study:
- 43 percent (197,460) were men.
- 57 percent (257,850) were women.
Full-time study more common than part-time study
66 percent of people aged 15 years and over who were participating in study were studying full-time. Of these:
- 57 percent were aged 15–19 years.
- 22 percent were aged 20–24 years.
Ethnic group and study participation
The highest rates of participation in study were for those who identified with the:
- Asian ethnic group (33 percent).
- Middle Eastern/Latin American/African ethnic group (32 percent).
Regional variation in study participation
The rate of study participation was higher in regions with universities. The rates of study participation were:
- Highest in the Otago (20 percent), Auckland (18 percent) and Wellington (17 percent) regions.
- Lowest in the Tasman, Marlborough and West Coast regions (all 10 percent).