School Fees Report - Edstart

School Fees Report2021

edstart.com.au/report

Edstart School Fees Report - 20212

Overview

Edstart’s School Fees Report is an annual report designed to help you understand the trends in private school fees across the country. Our 2021 report analysed fees from 400 schools, covering tuition, compulsory additional fees and boarding fees.

Key findingsThe COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the Australian economy, the effects of which became evident in this year’s report. Our analysis found that there was a substantial drop in the rate of fee increase in 2021, with the average increase across Australia falling from 2.83% in 2020 to 1.05% this year. Every state and territory, except for the ACT, followed the national trend and had much lower average increases in fees compared to 2020.

School fee inflation has been in decline over the past 4 years, with the economic impact of COVID-19 accelerating this trend.

Edstart School Fees Report - 2021 3

Impact of the second lockdown in VictoriaVictoria had the lowest average fee increase in the country at 0.40%, well below the national average of 1.05%. Victoria also experienced the largest drop in school fee inflation, falling by 2.76% from last year’s average fee increase of 3.16%.

Compared to the rest of the country, Victoria has the highest number of schools that did not increase their fees. Almost half of the schools in the state (47%) kept their fees steady, with 6% of schools decreasing their fees in 2021. As a contrast, only 20% of schools in NSW did not increase their 2021 fees.

This has also led to a drop in the number of Victorian schools making up the list of the most expensive schools in the nation, with NSW overtaking Victoria in the number of schools making the highest fee ranking.

More schools across Australia providing fee relief to familiesAcross Australia many schools kept their fees steady to assist families economically impacted by the pandemic. We found that 40% of schools did not increase their 2021 fees, which is a massive jump from 7% of schools in 2020.

Over half of the higher fee schools (Year 12 fees of $30,000 and above) did not increase their fees in 2021, including a notable number of the most expensive schools in Australia. This is a stark contrast to previous years where these schools had maintained a relatively consistent trend of fee increases of between 3% to 4%.

There were also a larger number of schools that decreased their fees this year to provide fee relief for families, from 2% in 2020 to 10% in 2021.

We hope you find our analysis informative.

Jack StevensCEO, Edstart


National trend

Average school fee increase

1.05%(-1.78% from 2020)

% of schools withno increase

40%(+33% from 2020)

% of schools with increases below CPI

46%(+28% from 2020)

WA

0.42% (-1.65%)

SA

0.94% (-1.30%)

Queensland

1.19% (-1.87%)

NSW

1.74% (-1.31%)

ACT

3.16% (+0.33%)

Victoria

0.40% (-2.76%)

Tasmania

1.56% (-1.21%)

Average school fees increase by state

Higher-fee vs lower-fee schools

Higher-fee schoolsYear 12 fees above $30,000

Average feeincrease

0.72% (-2.49%)

% of schoolswith no increase

58% (+58%)

Lower and middle-fee schoolsYear 12 fees below $30,000

Average feeincrease

1.11% (-1.67%)

% of schoolswith no increase

37% (+28%)

State by state


The average school fee increase in NSW is 1.74%, higher than the national average of 1.05% but down from last year’s increase of 3.01%. There were 20% of schools that did not increase their 2021 fees, with 9% of schools decreasing their fees to provide relief to families.

The King’s School, which has been the most expensive in NSW over recent years, kept their fees the same in 2021. As a result the school is no longer the most expensive in NSW with SCEGGS Darlinghurst and The Scots College overtaking it in the highest fee ranking in the state.

NSW


1.74%(-1.31% from 2020)


20%(+13% from 2020)

% of schools with increases below national CPI

22%(+13% from 2020)

The average school fee increase in Victoria is 0.4%, which is the lowest in the country and compares to the national average of 1.05%. This is well below last year’s increase of 3.16%.

The economic impact of the lockdown due to the second wave of COVID-19 has resulted in more Victorian schools holding off on fee increases compared to the rest of the country. Almost half of the schools in the state (47%) kept their fees steady which is the highest in the country, with 6% of schools lowering their fees in 2021.

Victoria still holds the title for the most expensive school in Australia with Geelong Grammar School taking the top spot. However, with the majority of higher-fee schools keeping their fees the same in 2021, Victoria no longer makes up the majority in the national highest fee ranking list.

Victoria


0.40%(-2.76% from 2020)


47%(+41% from 2020)


53%(+43% from 2020)

The average school fees increase in Queensland is 1.19%, down from 3.06% the previous year. There were 21% of schools that did not increase their fees in 2021, with 7% of schools decreasing their fees to provide relief to families.

Queensland


1.19%(-1.87% from 2020)


21%(+17% from 2020)


18%(+8% from 2020)


The average school fee increase in Western Australia is 0.42%, which is one of the lowest in the country and compares to the national average of 1.05%. This is down from the previous year of 2.07%.

There were 43% of schools that did not increase their fees in 2021, which is a significant increase from 6% of schools last year. Western Australia also has the highest percentage of schools providing fee relief to families in the nation, with 12% of schools lowering their fees this year. As a comparison, only 4% of schools in South Australia lowered their fees.

Western Australia


0.42%(-1.65% from 2020)


43%(+37% from 2020)


53%(+28% from 2020)

The average school fee increase in South Australia is 0.94%, down from the previous year of 2.25%. There were 26% of schools that did not increase their fees in 2021, up from 7% last year.

South Australia


0.94%(-1.30% from 2020)


26%(+18% from 2020)


27%(+3% from 2020)

The average school fee increase in Tasmania is 1.56%, which is above the national average of 1.05% but a drop from last year’s average increase of 2.77%. There were 14% of schools that did not increase their fees in 2021.

Tasmania


1.56%(-1.21% from 2020)

ACT

The ACT is the only jurisidiction with an increase in school fee inflation in the country. The average increase for 2021 is 3.16%, the highest in Australia and well above the national average of 1.05%. This is a jump from the average fee increase of 2.25% last year.


3.16%(+0.33% from 2020)

State by state


Boarding fees

Average boarding fee increase

1.83%(-0.65% from 2020)


34%(+16% from 2020)

% of schools with increases below CPI

36%(+8% from 2020)

The average increase in boarding fees this year is 1.83%, down from 2.48% in 2020. There has been a rise in the number of schools not increasing their boarding fees, with a third of schools either keeping their fees the same or have lowered their boarding fees altogether.

Boarding fee inflation has also been in decline over the past 3 years, with the rate dropping by 0.78% since 2019.

State by state

State Average boarding fee increase % of schools with no increase

New South Wales 1.64% 16%

Victoria 0.59% 56%

Queensland 2.02% 21%

Western Australia 0.66% 50%

South Australia 1.46% 9%

About Edstart

Edstart is Australia’s leading education payment provider and is helping thousands of Australians manage their school fees and education costs.

We make it easy to manage school fees and education costs with flexible payment plans that help spread large upfront fees into more manageable payments.

Our goal is to help people to fund their education in a sustainable, flexible and low-cost manner that leaves schools, families and students in a better position.

The Edstart School Fees Report is based on an analysis of 400 non-Government schools in Australia. Schools that haven’t made their fee schedule available to the general public as at 17 January 2021 have not been included. Inflation data based on the consumer price index (CPI) was sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Whilst all the information and statements have been prepared with all reasonable care, no responsibility or liability is accepted by any member of Edstart for any errors or omissions or misstatements however caused or arising.

Edstart Australia Pty Ltd ABN 48 611 024 205 holds Australian credit licence number 485096.

[email protected] edstart.com.au 1300 139 445

School Fees Report - Edstart

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