What it costs to educate your child in Victoria
Public schools may be the most affordable way to educate your child, but some parents are still paying more than $3000 per year for a “free education”. See the average student cost for every public, Catholic and independent school.
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Some public school parents are paying more than $3000 for a free education as every campuses’ fees and charges are revealed.
Victoria’s public schools were on average the most expensive in Australia, an analysis of the latest My School data shows.
The figures showed that Victorian parents with a child at a government campus paid on average $676 in 2017.
Catholic campus families paid $4030 and independent schools were $14,387.
Every Victorian school’s average student costs have been crunched into a searchable database below.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
For public school costs, the highest were at Hawthorn’s Auburn High School, at an average $3064 that year.
An analysis of school fees, charges and contributions paid by parents found Mount Eliza Secondary College was the second most costly of all public campuses, at $3056, while Essendon Keilor College ranked in third place, at $2751.
They were followed by MacRobertson Girls High School ($2750), Noble Park Secondary ($2733), Westall Secondary ($2696), Camberwell High ($2687) and Koonung Secondary ($2661).
The cost includes any voluntary payments families have made, divided by the student population.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
Independent schools came in as the most expensive of all campuses — Toorak’s St Catherine’s took the top spot, at $31,147, followed by Melbourne Girls Grammar at $30,893 and Ruyton Girls’ School, at $30,644.
Of the Catholic schools, Xavier College was the most expensive ($27,807), then Loreto Mandeville Hall ($24,724) and Genazzano FCJ College ($21,721).
Primary schools in Melbourne’s outer suburbs and regional areas were more likely to cost the least.
HOW DOES VICTORIA STACK UP?
The state was the most expensive in Australia for a public and independent education, with the nationwide average at $505 and $11,428 respectively.
A Catholic education cost more in South Australia ($4995) and Western Australia ($4432).
Ross Higgins, chief executive of educational savings plan provider Australian Scholarships Group (ASG), said the cost of education was a “huge strain on the family”.
“The thing for parents is, even with a government school, you’re going to have a fairly hefty level of ancillary cost during the journey,” he said.
“You’ve got to get onto this really quickly.
“If you’re starting out, you should have a structured savings plan.”
School councils set parents payments and limits, with communities having different needs and expectations.
Education Minister James Merlino said there were “specific rules governing what schools can ask parents to pay for and it’s my expectation that schools abide by these rules”.
He said $566 million in equity funding with school breakfast and lunch clubs, and the camps, sports and excursions fund helped support students in most need.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said Victorian schools “must ensure that parent payments are kept to a minimum”.
MOST COSTLY SCHOOLS FOR PARENTS
PUBLIC
Auburn High School — $3,064
Mount Eliza Secondary College — $3,056
Essendon Keilor College — $2,751
MacRobertson Girls High School — $2,750
Noble Park Secondary — $2,733
Westall Secondary — $2,696
CATHOLIC
Xavier College — $27,807
Loreto Mandeville Hall — $24,724
Genazzano FCJ College — $21,721
Scare Coeur — $19,572
St Kevin’s College — $18,160
INDEPENDENT
St Catherine’s School — $31,147
Melbourne Girls Grammar — $30,893
Ruyton Girls’ School — $30,644
Wesley College — $30,441
Lauriston Girls’ School — $30,009
*Data obtained from MySchool of all parent fees, charges and contributions divided by student population
HOW DOES VICTORIA COMPARE?
VICTORIAN AVERAGE SCHOOL COSTS:
Public: $676
Catholic: $4030
Independent: $14,387
AUS-WIDE AVERAGE SCHOOL COSTS:
Public: $505
Catholic:$3689
Independent: $11,428
NSW
Public: $501
Catholic: $2690
Independent: $12,298
QLD
Public: $397
Catholic: $4060
Independent: $8887
SA
Public: $630
Catholic: 4995
Independent: $8877
TAS
Public: $342
Catholic: $2847
Independent: $9233
WA
Public: $351
Catholic: $4432
Independent: $10,075
The My School data is managed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)
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