Best-Rated Universities in
Western Australia (2024)

 

 

Fact Checked Fact Checked

 

Western Australia may be an export powerhouse, but the state capital Perth is also a vibrant place to live, work and study.

Choosing a university can be difficult, but since the majority of students surveyed by Canstar Blue (79%) said their university degree was vital for their future career prospects, and 60% called university the best time of their life from a social perspective, making the right choice is important.

How we rate universities (WA)


Canstar Blue surveyed more than 131 current students and graduates of the past 10 years to identify the universities students rated the best in Western Australia. There are many university ratings out there, but for this survey, Canstar Blue asked students to rate their university on a range of factors that were important to them and to understand how satisfied they were overall with their university experience. Please see our methodology here.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their university from zero to 10, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and 10is extremely satisfied. University satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall student satisfaction: measures student satisfaction with a university as an individual score, NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Teaching staff: lecturers were approachable, fair, teaching style/ability.
  • Social aspects: clubs, events.
  • Learning resources: including libraries, online portals, flexible learning options.
  • Quality of education received: course structure.
  • Student support available: administrative, learning advisors, counsellors.
  • Campus amenities: cafes, parking.
  • Opportunities and career prospects after graduation: the uni/course supported my transition from study to work.

The winning university is the one that receives the highest overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The university with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Universities must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all universities available in Western Australia have been compared in this survey. In our 2024 student satisfaction review, we collected sufficient data for two universities (assessed by domestic and international students) to be included in our ratings. So, which are the highest-rated universities in Western Australia for student satisfaction?


Which WA universities were included in our 2024 ratings?

Here are the universities in Western Australia that were included in Canstar Blue’s 2024 student satisfaction survey, listed below in alphabetical order.

University Locations
Curtin University Perth, Kalgoorlie, Midland, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius
Murdoch University Perth, Mandurah, Whitby, Nambeelup, Singapore, Dubai, Malaysia

Most Satisfied Students | Murdoch University


cns-mss-wa-universities-2024

 

Murdoch University received five stars for learning resources, teaching staff, quality of education received and overall satisfaction.

What is Murdoch University known for?

Murdoch University is known for its environment and conservation efforts and its world-leading research in food security, health futures and sustainable development.

Does Murdoch University offer online learning?

Murdoch University offers online short courses and undergraduate and postgraduate online options.


Australian & State University Ratings 2024

Interested in finding out how students rated other top universities from around Australia? Click on the links below to read more about the top-rated universities in the country.

How many universities are there in Western Australia?

There are five universities in Western Australia: Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, University of Notre Dame Australia and the University of Western Australia. Western Australia has other tertiary education providers such as Technical and Further Education (TAFE), the Engineering Institute of Technology, and other vocational education and training providers.

What to consider when choosing a university

Current and past students surveyed by Canstar Blue were asked to name the key reasons for choosing their university. The main factors identified included the reputation of the university, acceptance of enrollment from the university, and the physical location of the campuses. These are the reasons students and graduates cited for choosing their university:

  • The reputation of the university and courses: 41%
  • Application to study was accepted: 38%
  • Location: 38%
  • Facilities (i.e. campus facilities, technology in library, classrooms, etc.): 22%
  • Friends or family went to the same university: 18%
  • Cost/fees were more affordable than other universities: 16%
  • Received a scholarship to attend: 11%
  • Extra-curricular activities (i.e. colleges, sporting and social opportunities, clubs, etc.): 8%

Learn more about university in Australia

Are you a student and concerned about how much your phone plan costs per month?

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About our consumer experts


Rachel Bollerman: Content Producer

This article was written by Canstar Blue Home & Lifestyle Content Producer, Rachel Bollerman. Rachel graduated with a Bachelor of Communications, majoring in Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology. She has worked in a variety of public relations, marketing and communications roles, gaining experience in community management, social media marketing, blog writing and other styles of copywriting. When she’s not working, Rachel enjoys doing arts and crafts projects at home and spending time with friends.

 

Meet the Editorial Team

 

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Sam Howse Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and two years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

 

Meet the Research Team

Past ratings

Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s Western Australian university ratings:

  • 2023: University of Western Australia