Futurity Investment Group 2025 Cost of Education Index reveals price of putting a child through 13 years of school

The cost of putting a child through a public school is skyrocketing – but one group of parents is set for some relief. See the latest forecasts.

Parents of children starting school this year will face a bill of almost $115,000 for the next 13 years of education in the public system, new data forecasts.

The cost, which is 30 per cent more than the total forecast just a year ago, is based on school fees and expenses including uniforms, transport, electronic devices, tutoring and extra-curricular activities.

The total has surged from $88,186 for children who started reception at a public school last year to $114,678 for those entering the classroom for the first time this year, driven largely by cost of living increases.

Kate and Kym Alldritt's children Austin, 13 and Jorja, 16, both attend Cardijn College, a Catholic School. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

The Cost of Education Index, released on Wednesday by Futurity Investment Group, shows the price of getting an education in most cities and regions around Australia has risen sharply.

However, families living in country South Australia will get a reprieve, with the estimated cost of a 13-year public education dropping from $86,677 to $75,600.

Adelaide is also the most affordable city to put a child through Catholic school.

Parents of reception students at Catholic campuses will pay more than $185,500 over the next 13 years (almost six per cent less than the 2024 estimate).

Independent schools remain the most expensive option, expected to cost Adelaide parents $302,387 over 13 years (up almost five per cent).

The cost estimates are based on surveys of more than 2300 Australian parents, conducted by McCrindle.

For parents Kate and Kym Alldritt, affordability was an “added bonus” when they chose to send their children, 13 and 16, to Cardijn College, a Catholic school in Adelaide’s south.

Ms Alldritt said due to the affordable fees, she had been able to comfortably budget for extra-curricular activities such as sport for her children Austin, in year 8, and Jorja, in year 11.

“It definitely helped being a little bit cheaper,” said Ms Alldritt, 42, who has since become chairperson of the Cardijn College board.

Mr Boyer said students will be able to buy laptops and other devices at a 15 per cent discount through a new Education Department bulk-buying program. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“It’s allowed us to give them other opportunities and travel.”

The fee for year 8 at Cardijn is $5860 and the cost for year 11 is $6755.

“The growth of the school is amazing and the cost hasn’t changed (substantially),” Ms Alldritt, from Aldinga Beach, said.

“Our enrolment numbers have increased drastically and it gives you the ability to have economy of scale.”

Ms Alldritt said she was “grateful” for having affordable education in Adelaide.

“Between the lifestyle and then to have that top notch education where we live I’m very grateful,” she said.

Parents at SA public schools pay a materials and services charge, set at $300 per child in primary school and $396 in high school.

Schools can poll parents to gain approval to charge more.

The Cost of Education Index shows the average amount parents contribute to public schools is $467 (down from $484 last year).

Education Minister Blair Boyer said parents would receive a $200 rebate when they paid the materials and services charge in 2025.

Education Minister Blair Boyer says parents will receive a $200 rebate on public school fees in 2025. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“Families deserve this financial relief, which is double the $100 reduction our government has delivered for the past three years,” he said.

Public school students can also buy laptops and other devices at a 15 per cent discount through a new Education Department bulk-buying program.

Mr Boyer said one driver of the increased cost estimate for a public education was the amount parents spent on tuition and coaching outside the classroom, which rose from $640 last year to $1227.

Sarah McAdie, from Futurity Investment Group, said families facing “spiralling cost of living, rent and mortgage repayment pressures” were prompting parents to cut back on tuition and coaching, musical instruments and elective subjects.

“With less discretionary money to spend it is going to be a challenge for many families to pay for education, including school fees and voluntary contributions, which have all increased in the past year,” she said.