Two states have set a new benchmark of $46,000 for annual private schools fees in 2023 with official data revealing the most expensive schooling institutions around the country.
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Edstart's annual School Fees Report analysed the fees of 635 non-government schools across the country, reporting the most expensive institutions, median fees and fee increase percentages by state.
It shows that NSW and Victorian schools have crossed the $45,000 mark for their year 12 tuition fees for the first time.
Including tuition and compulsory fees, Victoria's Geelong Grammar School topped the country with $46,344, just inching out the $46,300 cost of attending NSW's Kambala School.
Brisbane Grammar School fees topped Queensland with $31,630, PLC Perth topped WA with $31,632, St Peter's College topped SA with $29,450 and Canberra Grammar School topped the ACT with $28,505.
Several NSW schools like SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Sydney Grammar School, The Scots College, The King's School, Ascham and PLC Sydney are all charging upwards of $40,000 in 2023.
It's the ACT, however, that topped the country in median school fees at $13,150, followed by Victoria and NSW.
The lowest median school fee mark of $8985 can be be found in SA.
Australian schools increased their prices by 4.49 per cent in 2023, up from the 2.9 per cent increase in 2022 and the most in years.
The increase remains well below inflation which is running above 7 per cent.
Edstart CEO Jack Stevens said larger fee increases from the previous year were expected.
"Schools have faced significant increases to their input costs, particularly in relation to facility maintenance and construction," Mr Stevens said.
"Increases to teacher salaries, which represent the largest portion of expenses for schools, have also contributed to a material increase in operating costs."
Despite this, 85 per cent of schools increased their fees below inflation.
The Edstart report stated: "A majority of schools have told us that fee increases won't fully cover the additional costs incurred by the school."
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The average fee increase by state for the new year compared to the last was topped by the ACT at 6.74 per cent.
The territory was followed by Queensland's 5.59 per cent increase and then by 4.60 per cent in Victoria and 4.41 per cent in NSW.
SA had the country's lowest median fee increase in 2023 with 1.94 per cent.
Just 4 per cent of Australian private schools did not increase their fees in 2023.
Tim Piccione
Tim covered courts and legal affairs for the Canberra Times.
