Sydney is Australia’s most expensive city for an independent education, survey finds

Parents can expect to pay an average of AU$68,727 over a 13-year period to send their children to public school in metropolitan Australia, according to research by ASG Planning for Education Index.

The index was done in partnership with Monash University.

This figure takes into account the cost of tuition fees, transport, uniforms, computers, sports apparel, music instruments, extra tuition, camps, devices and excursions.

Meanwhile, parents looking to send their child to a Catholic school in metropolitan Australia can expect to spend AU$127,027, while the average median cost of an independent education in Australia’s major cities is AU$298,689.

Brisbane is Australia’s most expensive city for a government education at a hefty AU$75,601, which is 10 percent above the national average of AU$68,727, while the cost is AU$70,604 for Melbourne and AU$66,470 for Sydney.

Adelaide is the country’s most expensive city for a Catholic education at AU$131,498, which is 3.5 percent above the national average of AU$127,027, and more expensive than Canberra (AU$126,064) and Melbourne (AU$121,547).

Parents in Sydney can expect to fork out the most amount of money for their children’s private education, with ASG noting that parents can expect to spend AU$461,999 over a 13-year period.  

This is a staggering 54.7 percent above the national average of AU$298,689 and considerably more expensive than Melbourne at AU$438,390 and Hobart at AU$276,338.

Meanwhile, the index noted that the average median cost of a government education in regional Australia is AU$57,994.

GoogleAusEd:Australian school fees: total cost of a government, Catholic and independent education revealed – https://t.co/IaRqv6miyX https://t.co/LTuNKYdt4S

— VocEdAustralia (@VocEdAustralia) January 30, 2019

For regional Australia, parents considering a Catholic education for their child can expect to spend AU$109,877, while the average median cost of an independent education is AU$201,210.

The index notes that regional New South Wales is Australia’s most expensive state for a government education at AU$73,808, which is 27.3 percent above the national average of AU$57,994 and considerably more expensive than regional Queensland (AU$65,410) and regional Western Australia (AU$53,094).

The report notes that regional Queensland is Australia’s most expensive state for a Catholic education at AU$113,211, three percent above the national average of AU$109,877 and more expensive than regional New South Wales (AU$112,248) and regional Western Australia (AU$101,137).

Lastly, regional Victoria is Australia’s most expensive state for an independent education at AU$248,543, which is 23.5 percent above the national average of AU$201,210, and considerably more expensive than regional New South Wales (AU$203,654) and regional Queensland (AU$186,226).

The index is based on data sourced from a survey of 2,300 members on ancillary costs conducted by ASG and public information on school fees, The Good Schools Guide and the My School Website. The data was consolidated and analysed by Monash University.

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