Overview
- A Herald review of 32 Sydney independents found at least 20 lifting tuition by 5% or more for 2026, with The Scots College charging $54,822 for Year 12 and several peers now topping $50,000.
- Futurity’s Cost of Education Index estimates national city averages over 13 years at $113,594 for government schooling, $247,174 for Catholic and $369,594 for independent.
- Surveyed parents report cutting back on extras and struggling to pay: 33% used credit, 57% relied on others such as grandparents and 45% are considering fewer children due to costs.
- School leaders cite staffing as roughly 70% of expenses, recent teacher pay rises of 5–12% with a further 8.5% expected over two years, facility investments and reduced government funding as key pressures.
- Costs vary widely by location and sector, with Brisbane rated the most expensive city for Catholic schooling at more than $270,000 over 13 years and optional items making up a large share of annual outlays, such as 44% in one Catholic example.