Sydney is Australia’s most expensive city for an independent education.
New research has revealed Sydney is Australia’s most expensive city for an independent education. The Futurity Investment Group’s Investment in Education Index estimates the total cost of an independent education in Sydney will be $377,993 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, an increase of $20,062 compared to 2023.
The total cost of an independent education in the NSW capital is 19 per cent above the national average ($316,944) and considerably more expensive than Perth ($225,728) and Brisbane ($277,015), Australia’s most affordable cities for an independent education. School fees ($9385) are forecast to be the most expensive component of an independent education for a child starting school in 2024, well ahead of electronic devices ($2871), outside tuition ($1873) and musical instruments ($867). The index discovered school fees will make up 52 per cent of the total cost of an independent education for a child starting school in Sydney in 2024, with the remainder spent on ancillary costs.
The Investment in Education Index found that Sydney is Australia’s most affordable city for a Catholic education. The total cost of a Catholic education in the Harbour City is forecast to be $188,759 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, an increase of $10,281 compared to 2023. The totalcost of a Catholic education in Sydney is three per cent below the national average ($195,074), and considerably cheaper than Canberra ($208,871) and Brisbane ($204,197), Australia’s most expensive cities for a Catholic education.
Sydney parents are forecast to spend almost double on outside tuition ($4498) than school fees ($2522) this year, with electronic devices ($974), musical instruments ($834) and school uniforms ($418) all adding to the total cost of a Catholic education. The research found that school fees will make up 21 per cent of the total cost of a Catholic education for a child starting school in Sydney in 2024, with 79 per cent spent on ancillary costs.
The Investment in Education Index also revealed Sydney is one of Australia’s most expensive cities for a government education. It’s estimated the total cost of a government education in Sydney will be $94,819 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, a jump of $5319 compared to 2023. Sydney parents are forecast to spend 10 times more on outside tuition ($2206) than school fees ($219) this year, with musical instruments ($1469), electronic devices ($712) and transport ($559) all adding to the total cost of a government education. The index revealed school fees will make up just three per cent of the total cost of a government education for a child starting school in Sydney in 2023, with the remainder spent on ancillary costs.
The index also calculated the total cost of education in regional and remote areas for a child starting school this year and found non-metropolitan NSW towns and cities are home to Australia’s most expensive government education. It’s estimated the total cost of a government education in regional and remote NSW will be $87,762 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, an increase of $4939 compared to 2023 and nine per cent above the national average ($80,303). Regional and remote NSW parents are forecast to spend approximately 10 times more on outside tuition ($1078) than school fees ($109) this year, with musical instruments ($1993) electronic devices ($1450) and transport ($412) all adding to the total cost of a government education in non-metro NSW.
The total cost of a Catholic education in regional and remote NSW is forecast to be $167,695 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, a jump of $9142 compared to 2023 and three per cent below the national average ($172,981). It’s estimated outside tuition ($2623) will be the most expensive component of a Catholic education for a child starting school in non-metro NSW this year, followed by school fees ($1909), electronic devices ($1124) and school camps ($620).
The Investment in Education Index forecasts the total cost of an independent education in regional and remote NSW will be $231,118 over 13 years for a child starting school in 2024, an increase of $12,386 compared to last year and four per cent above the national average ($221,501). School fees ($4644) are forecast to be the most expensive component of an independent education for a child starting school thisyear in non-metropolitan NSW, well ahead of outside tuition ($1873), electronic devices ($1143) and transport ($1037).
Futurity Investment Group’s 2024 report The Cost of Education — How the Cost of Living Impacts Families Seeking Quality Education also revealed numerous other interesting insights.
Location is important to parents, but cost is a barrier
The greatest influence on parents when deciding on schools is location (35 per cent), followed by reputation (28 per cent) and cost (25 per cent). The greatest barriers that parents face when having to make their decision, however, are cost (33 per cent), followed by zoning (20 per cent). Positively, one in three parents (32 per cent) faced no barriers in being able to send their child to their preferred school.
Top five influences for parents’ choice of school:
Top five barriers for parents’ choice of school: