Search the list: How much Geelong private school parents really earn
Ever wanted to see how much families earn at the state’s top private schools? Here’s a full list of the average income of families at every elite school in Geelong and Victoria. Search now.
Despite housing Australia’s most expensive school, Geelong private school parents earn significantly less than their interstate counterparts, with the region’s top earners bringing home $290,000 annually.
The Geelong College is the school with the richest parents in the region, boasting a median family income of $290,000.
Fees at the prestigious Newtown school begin at $17,860 for preparatory students increasing to $36,376 for Years 10 to 12.
For overseas students, fees start at $43,402 for Year 7 students and increase to more than $50,000 for students in Years 10 to 12.
Last year the Senior School boasted a more than $20m upgrade of the Belerren Sports and Wellbeing Centre for Human Physiology at the senior school.
The Talbot St school was also revealed to be Geelong’s top-earning, having taken in $239.3m over five years.
Parents at Geelong Grammar, Australia’s priciest school, are the second-highest annual earners in the region, with new data revealing a median family income of $240,000.
Annually Geelong Grammar parents earn about $50,000 less than parents at The Geelong College in Newtown, and $200,000 less than many of the nation’s wealthiest school families, despite the prestigious private school retaining its mantle as the state’s most expensive.
In 2026, tuition for year 10-12 day boarders at Geelong Grammar’s Corio will again increase from $52,612 to $55,380.
The annual cost for a full-time Year 9 boarding student at Geelong Grammar’s Timbertop Campus will also jump from $88,500 to $93,840 next year.
Next in Geelong’s top ten richest school families are St Patrick’s School Geelong West and Christian College Geelong, which both see families earning a median income of $190,000.
Sacred Heart College Newtown, St Mary’s School Geelong and St John’s School Mitcham follow close behind, with a median family income of $185,000.
Inching closer to the state’s median household income, about $91,470 a year, at St Joseph’s College Newtown and Iona College Geelong families are seeing an income of $175,000 and $165,000 respectively.
Saint Ignatius College Geelong rounds out the list with the median income sitting at $160,000.
Meanwhile, the Victorian school with the richest parents is still earning close to $100,000 more annually than even Geelong’s richest parents, with Mount Scopus Memorial College seeing a median family income of $380,000 – more than three times the average household.
The prestigious Jewish school charges fees of $43,000 in year 12, more than $10,000 less than both Geelong Grammar and Geelong College, and receives around $5.5m a year in federal funding.
Despite the high profile and status of leading Victorian private schools, it’s the only Victorian school in the top 20 national list for parental earnings.
The family income data is used to calculate the $18b in school funding given to private schools by the federal government each year in addition to state funding. In general terms, schools with wealthier parents get less federal funding.
The 2024 figures show the annual net median income of all private school parents in the country is $406m dollars.
However, there is a wide gap between those on the top of the list and those at the bottom. The top 20 school parents have a combined annual median income of $8.4m compared to the poorest bottom 20 who together have a combined annual median income of $551,000.
The average median family income from the 2621 schools on the list is $159,496, which is well above the ABS household median income of $92,040.
In the national top 20, there are 17 NSW schools, one from Victoria and two from Western Australia. The highest overall is SCEGGS Darlinghurst, where parents have an annual median family income of $505,000.
Professor Elizabeth Labone, CEO of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority, said the data shows that “Catholic schools are vibrant, welcoming communities that provide an affordable, high-quality, faith-based education to hard-working families across the state”.
“Hardworking families in Catholic schools receive $9,549 per student less in government funding support than families in government schools. This delivers massive savings to Victorian taxpayers.”
Dr Daniel Pampuch, CEO, Christian Schools Australia, said many Christian school parents are low- to middle income earners.
“They are regular mum and dads wanting to provide the best opportunities they can for their kids. As the cost of living keeps climbing, making ends meet isn’t easy,” he said.
“However, they continue to prioritise Christian education as their child’s learning and development comes first.”
Independent Schools Australia CEO Graham Catt said most independent school families are “ordinary hardworking Australians, 60% are from low and middle-income households, often working two jobs, and - especially as cost of living pressures continue - are making real sacrifices so their children can attend the school that’s right for them.”
“The stereotype that all independent school parents are wealthy is simply wrong and, for parents, upsetting and offensive,” he said.
Email Lucy.crock@news.com.au or education@news.com.au
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Originally published as Search the list: How much Geelong private school parents really earn
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