Queensland · public · Innovative Research Universities

James Cook University

James Cook University sits in the lower enrolment tercile among 39 profiled providers (#32 of 39 by enrolment (21,000 students)). Indicative HECS-HELP for 5 CSP degrees below.

Enrolment
21,000
International share
30%
QS rank 2025
#415
Founded
1970

The verdict

James Cook University is a public Innovative Research Universities member with a QS world rank of #415 and a smaller, more specialised student body. Across 5 representative Commonwealth Supported Place degrees, indicative HECS-HELP costs average $50,354 per program, from $13,881 to $67,968, driven by field of study rather than the institution.

Size #32 of 39 Avg degree · Above average $50,354 QS placement #24 of 39

Academic standing score

D 50/100

Based on QS World University Ranking #415 against the 39 QS-tracked Australian universities (national p10 #37 / p90 #800). No second comparable per-university dataset exists in this corpus today: average degree fees are set nationally by subject cluster, not by institution, so they are not used here.

RSS feed for this university · All threshold updates

James Cook University among smaller enrolments

Total enrolled students across 39 profiled Australian universities (2026-05-20)

21,000 Top 21% highest Higher than 82% of 38 other universities

James Cook University

all profiled universities, equal-width bands

Each bar spans 5,000. Taller bars contain more universities; the dashed marker locates this university. Hover, focus or tap a bar for its exact count and share.

Source data.gov.au, Department of Education higher-education statistics · 2026-05-20

Among 39 profiled universities with a published enrolment count in the Department of Education higher-education statistics release used here, James Cook University ranks 8th by total enrolment (21,000 students). That is larger than 7 other universities and smaller than 31, placing it at the 82nd percentile by size in this corpus. QS world rank and enrolment rank diverge, a smaller enrolment does not imply a lower research rank.

Does a bigger university rank better?

Each dot is one of the 39 profiled Australian universities with both a QS World Ranking and an enrolment figure, placed by enrolled students and relative QS standing (higher = better rank). The highlighted dot is James Cook University.

Large and eliteSmall and eliteLarge, lower-rankedSmall, lower-ranked17523962.54775071537.5953250233.1466.2699.3932.4Total enrolmentRelative QS standing (higher = better)Australian Catholic University, Total enrolment: 33000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 311Australian National University, Total enrolment: 21500 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 871Bond University, Total enrolment: 4500 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 431Charles Darwin University, Total enrolment: 17000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 101Charles Sturt University, Total enrolment: 34000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 201CQUniversity, Total enrolment: 31000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 301Curtin University, Total enrolment: 58000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 727Deakin University, Total enrolment: 62000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 704Edith Cowan University, Total enrolment: 30000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 369Federation University Australia, Total enrolment: 20000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 101Flinders University, Total enrolment: 26000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 521Griffith University, Total enrolment: 50000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 611James Cook University, Total enrolment: 21000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 486La Trobe University, Total enrolment: 38000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 684Macquarie University, Total enrolment: 45000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 771Monash University, Total enrolment: 86000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 864Murdoch University, Total enrolment: 24000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 470Queensland University of Technology, Total enrolment: 52000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 712RMIT University, Total enrolment: 91000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 778Southern Cross University, Total enrolment: 17000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 51Swinburne University of Technology, Total enrolment: 32000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 616University of Adelaide, Total enrolment: 28000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 819University of Canberra, Total enrolment: 17000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 480University of Melbourne, Total enrolment: 53000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 888University of New England, Total enrolment: 22000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 151University of New South Wales, Total enrolment: 67000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 882University of Newcastle, Total enrolment: 38000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 728University of Notre Dame Australia, Total enrolment: 12000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 50University of Queensland, Total enrolment: 55000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 861University of South Australia, Total enrolment: 37000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 575University of Southern Queensland, Total enrolment: 26000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 201University of Sydney, Total enrolment: 74000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 883University of Tasmania, Total enrolment: 28000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 588University of Technology Sydney, Total enrolment: 46000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 813University of the Sunshine Coast, Total enrolment: 18000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 1University of Western Australia, Total enrolment: 25000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 824University of Wollongong, Total enrolment: 33000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 734Victoria University, Total enrolment: 40000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 141Western Sydney University, Total enrolment: 49000 · Relative QS standing (higher = better): 509
James Cook University enrols 21,000 students, ranking #24 of 39 on QS World University Ranking placement in this corpus. The crosshair marks the corpus median on both axes -- across this dataset, larger enrolment is associated with a stronger QS ranking, though the relationship is moderate, not absolute, and several smaller universities still out-rank larger ones.
Read the chart as text
  • Australian Catholic University: Total enrolment 33000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 311
  • Australian National University: Total enrolment 21500, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 871
  • Bond University: Total enrolment 4500, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 431
  • Charles Darwin University: Total enrolment 17000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 101
  • Charles Sturt University: Total enrolment 34000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 201
  • CQUniversity: Total enrolment 31000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 301
  • Curtin University: Total enrolment 58000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 727
  • Deakin University: Total enrolment 62000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 704
  • Edith Cowan University: Total enrolment 30000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 369
  • Federation University Australia: Total enrolment 20000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 101
  • Flinders University: Total enrolment 26000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 521
  • Griffith University: Total enrolment 50000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 611
  • James Cook University: Total enrolment 21000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 486
  • La Trobe University: Total enrolment 38000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 684
  • Macquarie University: Total enrolment 45000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 771
  • Monash University: Total enrolment 86000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 864
  • Murdoch University: Total enrolment 24000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 470
  • Queensland University of Technology: Total enrolment 52000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 712
  • RMIT University: Total enrolment 91000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 778
  • Southern Cross University: Total enrolment 17000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 51
  • Swinburne University of Technology: Total enrolment 32000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 616
  • University of Adelaide: Total enrolment 28000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 819
  • University of Canberra: Total enrolment 17000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 480
  • University of Melbourne: Total enrolment 53000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 888
  • University of New England: Total enrolment 22000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 151
  • University of New South Wales: Total enrolment 67000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 882
  • University of Newcastle: Total enrolment 38000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 728
  • University of Notre Dame Australia: Total enrolment 12000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 50
  • University of Queensland: Total enrolment 55000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 861
  • University of South Australia: Total enrolment 37000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 575
  • University of Southern Queensland: Total enrolment 26000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 201
  • University of Sydney: Total enrolment 74000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 883
  • University of Tasmania: Total enrolment 28000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 588
  • University of Technology Sydney: Total enrolment 46000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 813
  • University of the Sunshine Coast: Total enrolment 18000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 1
  • University of Western Australia: Total enrolment 25000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 824
  • University of Wollongong: Total enrolment 33000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 734
  • Victoria University: Total enrolment 40000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 141
  • Western Sydney University: Total enrolment 49000, Relative QS standing (higher = better) 509

Compact-enrolment book

HECS-HELP costs at compact James Cook University

#32 of 39 by enrolment (21,000 students) Enrolment is compact at James Cook University: #32 of 39 by enrolment (21,000 students) - lower size tercile. Across 5 CSP degrees, indicative costs still span $13,881–$67,968 by field banding. Book total $251,769. Income-triggered repayment above $67,000 (FY 2025-26). See our repayment calculator to model clearance timing. Source: Department of Education higher-education statistics + ATO HECS-HELP schedule (2026-05-20).

Why HECS-HELP costs vary by degree, and how repayment works

Why does the same university charge such different amounts across degrees? Because the Australian Government sets student contributions by field of study, not by campus. Under the current funding bands, teaching, nursing, agriculture, mathematics and English sit in the lowest tier at about 4,627 dollars per year, while humanities, business, law and communications sit in the highest tier at about 16,992 dollars per year. Engineering, science and computing fall in between, near 12,720 dollars per year. A student studying two equally long degrees can therefore finish with very different debt balances depending only on which subject area they chose. These figures are indicative published bands rather than a quote, so the actual amount depends on the exact unit mix in each course.

Repayment is income based, not time based. You owe nothing until your annual income passes the compulsory repayment threshold, after which the Australian Taxation Office collects a percentage of income that rises with each higher band. The outstanding balance is indexed each year to keep pace with the cost of living, which is why two graduates with the same starting debt can clear it in very different timeframes. The numbers on this page come from official government sources, drawn from the Australian Department of Education, the Australian Taxation Office and Services Australia, and the dataset was last refreshed in 2026. See our methodology page for how these contribution bands and thresholds are sourced and updated.

Degree HECS-HELP spread at compact James Cook University

Full-degree student contribution (annual band × standard duration), FY 2025-26

Bachelor of Engineering (Hon…$67,968Bachelor of Laws$67,968Bachelor of Information Tech…$50,976Bachelor of Business$50,976Bachelor of Nursing$13,881

Source:

0%100%20%
Lowest indicative full-degree contribution here ($13,881 · Bachelor of Nursing) is 20% of the highest ($67,968 · Bachelor of Laws). Gap is field-of-study banding, not a campus premium.

Representative degree programs

The $251,769 program-book total cited above, broken down by degree:

The bar behind each total shows how it compares to Bachelor of Laws, the most expensive program at James Cook University.

Degree Field Duration Annual band Indicative total
Bachelor of Nursing health-nursing 3 yrs $4,627 $13,881
Bachelor of Information Technology it-computing 3 yrs $12,720 $50,976
Bachelor of Business business 3 yrs $16,992 $50,976
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) engineering 4 yrs $12,720 $67,968
Bachelor of Laws law 4 yrs $16,992 $67,968
How the indicative figure is computed
Indicative only, not financial advice

Nationwide universities with similar enrolment or QS rank

Two cross-state peer sets for James Cook University in Queensland, distinct from the Read-with enrolment drills above (which may include same-state neighbours).

Similar enrolment (nationwide)

Nearest total enrolment outside QLD (21,000 students here).

Similar QS world rank (nationwide)

Nearest QS rank peers outside QLD (QS #415 here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on Department of Education enrolment totals and published QS World University Rankings; universities below 5,000 enrolment or without a QS rank in the top 500 are excluded from each axis.

Read with James Cook University

Nearest enrolment peers and mission-group poles for James Cook University (IRU · MID · DEAR), replacing the fixed See-also and A-Z sibling strips.

IRU MID DEAR

Australian National University · MID

ABS(enrolment) peer at 21,500 students (Δ 500 vs James Cook University); GO8 stamp vs this page's IRU · MID.

Federation University Australia · MID

ABS(enrolment) peer at 20,000 students (Δ 1,000 vs James Cook University); RUN stamp vs this page's IRU · MID.

University of New England · MID

ABS(enrolment) peer at 22,000 students (Δ 1,000 vs James Cook University); RUN stamp vs this page's IRU · MID.

Murdoch University · MID

ABS(enrolment) peer at 24,000 students (Δ 3,000 vs James Cook University); IRU stamp vs this page's IRU · MID.

University of the Sunshine Coast (RUN pole)

University of the Sunshine Coast stamps RUN · MID near James Cook University's enrolment yet outside the IRU cohort.

Enrolment leaderboard (#32)

James Cook University ranks #32 of 39 by enrolment under the MID · DEAR HECS stamps.

Voluntary repayments · DEAR

James Cook University's DEAR average means larger balances - voluntary repayments change clearance timing under indexation.

Source: data.gov.au, Department of Education higher-education statistics Higher education statistics, public + private providers · 2023 Indicative fees per Studyassist 2026 Job-ready Graduates schedule.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.