Melbourne the most expensive city for public schooling in Australia

Parents will pay $108,879 over 13 years to send their child to a public school from 2024, making Melbourne the most expensive city for government schooling in Australia.

Melbourne is Australia’s most expensive city for a public education, with parents such as mother Kylie Davis expected to fork out big bucks.

Prep students starting at a Melbourne public school this year will accumulate more than $16,000 more in education expenses on average than their interstate counterparts by the time they graduate year 12, new data has revealed.

Futurity Investment Group’s Cost of Education Index – released today – estimates parents will pay $108,879 over 13 years to send their child to a public school from 2024, which makes Melbourne the most expensive city for government schooling nationally for the second consecutive year.

Researchers took into account tuition fees and auxiliary costs such as electronic devices, camps, excursions, transport, uniform, musical instruments, textbooks, stationary, library fees, electives, vocational subjects and outside tuition to determine an estimated long-term education cost projected over a 13-year period for each sector and capital city.

Average costs to send a child to a government college climbed by 22 per cent since 2022, while fees in Melbourne last year totalled $102,807.

In regional Victoria, school fees were more affordable, with residents paying $79,678 to send their child to a remote public school from this year.

Meanwhile, education expenses at Melbourne independent institutions averaged $324,559, which was $53,434 less than Sydney – the most expensive city for private schooling.

In a welcome contrast, catholic education was more affordable in Melbourne – at $194,826 – than Perth or Brisbane where long-term school costs calculated over $200,000.

Futurity Investment Group CEO Sam Sondhi said varying school fees, auxiliary expenses and funding models partially contributed to the difference in costs between the states, with Victorian government schools having higher tuition costs.

For example, a student starting prep at a Melbourne public school this year is estimated to accumulate $387 in tuition fees, $1074 on electronic devices and $1556 on elective subjects in their first year of school alone, with these auxiliary costs expected to rise each year they attend school.

Meanwhile at a Sydney government school, tuition fees are $219, elective subjects cost $366 and electronics are $712.

Melbourne offers the most expensive public education out of the entire country, with parents estimated to fork out over $100,000 over 13 years.

“We know that education is highly valued by families and they see it as an important enabler for future opportunities, but cost is one of the barriers at the moment to a preferred choice of education,” Mr Sondhi said.

“As cost increases, families will have to make a choice … if you’re in looking at independent schools (but you can’t afford it), you might have to look at catholic or government education as an alternative.”

Opposition education spokeswoman Jess Wilson said it was unacceptable Victorian families paid more than their interstate counterparts for public education when reading, maths and science standards are at “record lows”.

“Families with a child starting their school journey in just a few weeks’ time will be paying $6,000 more for their education this year compared to last year,” she said.

“Victorian families deserve an education system that is not only affordable but will equip students with the key skills they need to live full and successful lives.”

A Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government has launched a number of initiatives such as school breakfast club, the affordable school uniform program and glasses for kids, to keep education-associated costs down.

“Every student deserves equal opportunities no matter their background, so that’s why we’re providing funding to keep vital programs,” she said.

“These programs help ease cost of living pressures, and help students get the most of out their day.”

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Executive Director Edward Simons said catholic schools keep their expenses as low as they can by looking for efficiencies through the use of technologies, consolidating administrative activities and strategic procurement.

“We support thousands of students from low-income families every year in times of financial stress and hardship. This includes fee relief tailored to each individual family’s needs,” he said.

“We believe no child should miss out on a Catholic education because of their family’s financial circumstances.”

Families worry about affording essentials

As students head into the new school year, thousands of Australian children are at risk of missing out on essential items, including digital devices, uniforms and shoes.

Nearly nine out of ten parents (88 per cent) are worried about being able to afford all the things their children will need for school in 2024, an annual survey of over 2,200 families supported by The Smith Family reveals.

Just over half of those surveyed say their children are likely to miss out on the digital devices needed for their schoolwork because they won’t be able to afford them.

Nearly half (45 per cent) think their children will miss out on basics like uniforms or shoes – up from 29 per cent in 2023.

More than one in three say their children will have to forego educational activities outside of school and school excursions.

Nine out of 10 parents are worried about being able to afford all the things their children need for school, including mum Kylie Davis. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Smith Family chief executive Doug Taylor said some families are forced to make decisions every day about how to prioritise the limited resources they have.

“Housing, food, and power are top of the list, but the cost of these essentials have all risen rapidly, meaning educational essentials like uniforms, books, a laptop and the internet are increasingly hard to afford,” he said.

“Laptops and the internet are as essential as pens and paper in the 21st century classroom. Without them, students will struggle to do their schoolwork and keep up with their peers.”

Frankston North mother Kylie Davis, who receives financial assistance from the charity, said she budgets strenuously for back to school costs for her two boys.

“My youngest Jacob is going into Grade 5 this year but my oldest Max is starting high school, so we’ve definitely noticed an increase in costs,” she said.

“It was $125 for stationary alone for Max this year and $74 for his maths textbook.

“We budget a lot and make sure we have the money for things we need. We go without stuff if we have to.”

The Smith Family has launched its Back to School Appeal, calling on Australians to sponsor a child to help them thrive at school and beyond.