Sydney private schools where fees have surged past $1 million

Fees at private schools can cost families more than the average home. See what Sydney’s top-ranked schools are charging.

The cost of sending three children to one of Sydney’s top private schools has risen to over $1.3 million this year — the price of a reasonable house in many parts of Sydney.

Sending a child to King’s at Parramatta is one of the priciest options for 13 years of schooling, with the total price for three siblings jumping from $1.28 million to $1.342 million this year.

The King's School at North Parramatta is one of Sydney’s most expensive schools.

That figure is the net cost and does not factor sibling discounts but also does not include the numerous other costs including future fee increases, application fees, technology levy, excursion costs or uniforms.

Other pricier schools include Barker on the Upper North Shore where parents fork out $412,681 per student or a total $1.238 million from pre-K to Year 12.

Barker College at Hornsby also sets parents back more than $1 million.

In the eastern suburbs, Moriah College this year will set parents back $401,000 for 13 years of schooling for one child while the inner west’s Newington is slightly cheaper at $380,000.

When it comes to girls’ schools they were just as pricey including St Catherine’s at Waverley which costs $397,856 for one student to attend for 13 years, while Pymble Ladies College will now set you back $385,961 based on 2022 fees.

Gonski Institute chief Prof Pasi Sahlberg said parents had a right to spend their money how they wished but said they were splashing the cash to be invited to birthday parties and to make social connections.

“If parents are expecting their kids to do better academically, the evidence is not encouraging in a way that would work in an average situation,” he said.

“I understand this is something most people don’t want to speak about in public too much, which is that parents’ money, in particular the more expensive private schools, buys your kids a certain type of social class or environment and birthday parties, and connections and those sorts of things.

The Newington College boarding school for boys is one of the cheaper options at $380,000.

Australian Tutoring Association chief Mohan Dhall said it was common for one parent to work full time just to pay the school fees because they wanted the social mobility that comes with a private school.

“It is often the ambition of parents wanting to get into that social circle,” he said.

He said the baseline academic standard at private schools was often higher and they also had extra curricular activities but said there were cheaper ways of getting the same benefits.

“If someone goes to a good co-ed public school the parents can use the money to travel a lot, enrich the child through tutoring and have a sports coach,” he said.

Waverley girls’ school St Catherine's sets parents back nearly $400,000. Picture: David Swift

Association of Independent Schools of NSW chief executive Dr Geoff Newcombe said parents chose a private school because it aligned with their values while the median amount paid in fees was less than $5500 per year.

“According to the latest survey by independent Schools Australia, the most important outcomes sought by Independent secondary school parents were for their child to gain confidence and high self-esteem, to be able to think for themselves and to achieve academically,” he said.

Despite fee increases in recent years, 2020 independent school enrolments increased by 5353 students while preliminary data suggests this growth accelerated in 2021.