Data investigation · 2026 edition
Australian private school fees rose 42.1% over 9 years.
Median Year 12 tuition across 207 schools climbed from $18,165 in 2018 to $25,820 in 2026 — a $7,655 increase per child over the period. This page tracks every school individually.
The Education Desk · Editorial team, schools + fertility + family services · Updated 13 May 2026 · How we rank · Editorial standards
Key takeaways
- Median Year 12 tuition across 207 Australian private schools rose from $18,165 (2018) to $25,820 (2026) — a 42.1% increase over 9 years (estimated using ABS secondary-education price index applied to each school's verified 2026 fee).
- That tracks the ABS secondary-education sub-index +42.1% compounded over the same period — the most authoritative inflation benchmark for the AU private-school sector.
- Most expensive Year 12 fee in 2026: Geelong Grammar School at $55,380/year.
- Per-school verified historical chains will be added as we complete audits of school annual reports — currently we display ABS-indexed estimates uniformly so users can compare across schools without verification asymmetry.
Schools tracked
207
2026 fees verified per school
Median 2026 Y12
$25,820
vs $18,165 in 2018
9-year change
+42.1%
Median real-dollar uplift
ABS index
+42.1%
Cat 6401.0 secondary-ed (same period)
2026 fee leaders
Top 20 most expensive Year 12 schools 2026
Highest 2026 Year 12 tuition fees nationally — verified per school from published 2026 fee schedules. 2018 figures shown are ABS-indexed estimates from the verified 2026 figure.
| # | School | City | 2018 fee (est.) | 2026 fee | $ change (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geelong Grammar School | Geelong | $38,965 | $55,380 | +$16,415 |
| 2 | Sydney Grammar School | Sydney | $36,874 | $52,410 | +$15,536 |
| 3 | SCEGGS Darlinghurst | Sydney | $36,485 | $51,856 | +$15,371 |
| 4 | Canberra Girls Grammar School | Canberra | $35,369 | $50,270 | +$14,901 |
| 5 | The King's School | Sydney | $35,164 | $49,980 | +$14,816 |
| 6 | Cranbrook School | Sydney | $34,842 | $49,521 | +$14,679 |
| 7 | Newington College | Sydney | $33,869 | $48,141 | +$14,272 |
| 8 | Shore (Sydney Church of England Grammar) | Sydney | $33,841 | $48,100 | +$14,259 |
| 9 | Scotch College | Melbourne | $33,684 | $47,877 | +$14,193 |
| 10 | Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) | Sydney | $33,419 | $47,500 | +$14,081 |
| 11 | Lauriston Girls' School | Melbourne | $32,927 | $46,800 | +$13,873 |
| 12 | Melbourne Grammar School | Melbourne | $32,525 | $46,230 | +$13,705 |
| 13 | Pymble Ladies' College | Sydney | $32,237 | $45,820 | +$13,583 |
| 14 | Wesley College | Melbourne | $31,806 | $45,206 | +$13,400 |
| 15 | Knox Grammar School | Sydney | $31,746 | $45,120 | +$13,374 |
| 16 | Trinity Grammar School | Melbourne | $31,650 | $44,984 | +$13,334 |
| 17 | Frensham School | Sydney | $31,647 | $44,980 | +$13,333 |
| 18 | Canberra Grammar School | Canberra | $31,400 | $44,630 | +$13,230 |
| 19 | Camberwell Grammar School | Melbourne | $31,215 | $44,366 | +$13,151 |
| 20 | Methodist Ladies' College | Melbourne | $30,806 | $43,785 | +$12,979 |
Sector breakdown
Fees by sector
Average 2026 Year 12 tuition by sector. Sectors with fewer than 3 tracked schools are excluded. Note: under our current methodology (ABS index applied uniformly to back-project pre-2026 fees) all sectors show the same indexed % change — the meaningful difference between sectors is fee level, not inflation rate.
| Sector | Schools tracked | Avg 2026 Y12 fee |
|---|---|---|
| Presbyterian | 3 | $36,019 |
| Uniting Church | 20 | $34,644 |
| Jewish | 3 | $34,260 |
| Anglican | 67 | $31,373 |
| Independent | 32 | $31,321 |
| Catholic | 63 | $15,727 |
| Lutheran | 6 | $15,645 |
| Christian | 9 | $12,919 |
All schools
207 schools, ranked by 2026 fee
Click any school for its full 9-year fee history chart. 2026 fees verified per school from published schedules; pre-2026 figures shown are ABS-indexed estimates.
| # | School | City | Sector | 2026 fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Geelong Grammar School | Geelong | Anglican | $55,380 |
| 2 | Sydney Grammar School | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $52,410 |
| 3 | SCEGGS Darlinghurst | Sydney | Anglican | $51,856 |
| 4 | Canberra Girls Grammar School | Canberra | Anglican | $50,270 |
| 5 | The King's School | Sydney | Anglican | $49,980 |
| 6 | Cranbrook School | Sydney | Anglican | $49,521 |
| 7 | Newington College | Sydney | Uniting Church | $48,141 |
| 8 | Shore (Sydney Church of England Grammar) | Sydney | Anglican | $48,100 |
| 9 | Scotch College | Melbourne | Presbyterian | $47,877 |
| 10 | Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) | Sydney | Anglican | $47,500 |
| 11 | Lauriston Girls' School | Melbourne | Independent (non-denominational Christian) | $46,800 |
| 12 | Melbourne Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $46,230 |
| 13 | Pymble Ladies' College | Sydney | Uniting Church | $45,820 |
| 14 | Wesley College | Melbourne | Uniting Church | $45,206 |
| 15 | Knox Grammar School | Sydney | Uniting Church | $45,120 |
| 16 | Trinity Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $44,984 |
| 17 | Frensham School | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $44,980 |
| 18 | Canberra Grammar School | Canberra | Anglican | $44,630 |
| 19 | Camberwell Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $44,366 |
| 20 | Methodist Ladies' College | Melbourne | Uniting Church | $43,785 |
| 21 | Carey Baptist Grammar School | Melbourne | Baptist | $42,660 |
| 22 | Saint Ignatius' College Riverview | Sydney | Catholic (Jesuit) | $42,660 |
| 23 | Ravenswood School for Girls | Sydney | Uniting Church | $42,160 |
| 24 | The King's School | Sydney | Anglican | $42,050 |
| 25 | Abbotsleigh | Sydney | Anglican | $41,960 |
| 26 | Haileybury | Melbourne | Independent (Uniting Church heritage) | $41,685 |
| 27 | Ascham School | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $41,680 |
| 28 | Kambala | Sydney | Anglican | $41,320 |
| 29 | Brighton Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $41,068 |
| 30 | Xavier College | Melbourne | Catholic (Jesuit) | $40,880 |
| 31 | Caulfield Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $40,770 |
| 32 | Presbyterian Ladies' College | Melbourne | Presbyterian | $40,000 |
| 33 | St Catherine's School Waverley | Sydney | Anglican | $39,820 |
| 34 | Loreto Mandeville Hall | Melbourne | Catholic (Loreto Sisters / IBVM) | $39,810 |
| 35 | The Geelong College | Geelong | Uniting Church (formerly Presbyterian) | $38,540 |
| 36 | Methodist Ladies' College | Melbourne | Uniting Church | $38,240 |
| 37 | Reddam House | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $38,200 |
| 38 | St Catherine's School | Melbourne | Anglican | $37,920 |
| 39 | Trinity Grammar School Kew | Melbourne | Anglican | $37,820 |
| 40 | Wenona School | Sydney | Uniting Church | $37,650 |
| 41 | Christ Church Grammar School | Perth | Anglican | $37,173 |
| 42 | Westminster School | Adelaide | Uniting Church | $36,310 |
| 43 | Brisbane Grammar School | Brisbane | Independent (non-denominational) | $36,300 |
| 44 | St Ignatius' College Riverview | Sydney | Catholic (Jesuit) | $36,240 |
| 45 | Scotch College Perth | Perth | Independent (Uniting Church) | $35,932 |
| 46 | Trinity Grammar School | Sydney | Anglican | $35,820 |
| 47 | Bialik College | Melbourne | Jewish | $35,480 |
| 48 | The Armidale School | Newcastle | Anglican | $35,280 |
| 49 | St Peter's College Adelaide | Adelaide | Anglican | $34,760 |
| 50 | Presbyterian Ladies' College Perth | Perth | Independent (Uniting Church / Presbyterian heritage) | $34,746 |
| 51 | Methodist Ladies' College Perth | Perth | Independent (Uniting Church / Methodist heritage) | $34,428 |
| 52 | Newcastle Grammar School | Newcastle | Anglican | $34,370 |
| 53 | St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls | Perth | Anglican | $34,230 |
| 54 | Brisbane Girls Grammar School | Brisbane | Independent (non-denominational) | $34,088 |
| 55 | Scotch College Adelaide | Adelaide | Uniting Church | $34,040 |
| 56 | Mount Scopus Memorial College | Melbourne | Jewish | $33,820 |
| 57 | Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) | Brisbane | Anglican | $33,720 |
| 58 | St Andrew's Cathedral School | Sydney | Anglican | $33,620 |
| 59 | King David School | Melbourne | Jewish | $33,480 |
| 60 | Ruyton Girls' School | Melbourne | Independent (non-denominational) | $33,420 |
| 61 | Brisbane Boys' College | Brisbane | Independent (Presbyterian and Uniting Church) | $33,260 |
| 62 | St Margaret's Anglican Girls School | Brisbane | Anglican | $33,216 |
| 63 | Pulteney Grammar School | Adelaide | Anglican | $33,074 |
| 64 | Prince Alfred College | Adelaide | Uniting Church | $32,640 |
| 65 | Pembroke School | Adelaide | Independent (Non-denominational) | $32,601 |
| 66 | Hale School | Perth | Anglican | $32,530 |
| 67 | Korowa Anglican Girls' School | Melbourne | Anglican | $32,420 |
| 68 | St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School | Brisbane | Anglican | $31,992 |
| 69 | International Grammar School | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $31,980 |
| 70 | St Joseph's College Hunters Hill | Sydney | Catholic (Marist) | $31,920 |
| 71 | Wesley College Perth | Perth | Independent (Uniting Church / Methodist heritage) | $31,890 |
| 72 | Somerville House | Brisbane | Independent (PMSA) | $31,872 |
| 73 | St Leonard's College | Melbourne | Independent (non-denominational) | $31,820 |
| 74 | St Michael's Grammar School | Melbourne | Independent (non-denominational) | $31,820 |
| 75 | The Southport School | Gold Coast | Anglican | $31,773 |
| 76 | Xavier College | Melbourne | Catholic (Jesuit) | $31,760 |
| 77 | St Mary's Anglican Girls' School | Perth | Anglican | $30,340 |
| 78 | New England Girls' School (NEGS) | Newcastle | Anglican | $29,820 |
| 79 | Ivanhoe Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $29,680 |
| 80 | Camberwell Girls Grammar School | Melbourne | Anglican | $29,680 |
| 81 | The Geelong College | Melbourne | Uniting Church | $29,680 |
| 82 | Seymour College | Adelaide | Uniting Church | $29,370 |
| 83 | Walford Anglican School for Girls | Adelaide | Anglican | $29,000 |
| 84 | St Peter's Girls' School | Adelaide | Anglican | $28,600 |
| 85 | Wilderness School | Adelaide | Independent (Non-denominational Christian) | $28,515 |
| 86 | St Aloysius' College | Sydney | Catholic (Jesuit) | $28,480 |
| 87 | PLC Armidale | Newcastle | Uniting Church | $28,280 |
| 88 | Roseville College | Sydney | Anglican | $28,140 |
| 89 | Loreto Kirribilli | Sydney | Catholic (Loreto) | $27,950 |
| 90 | The Illawarra Grammar School | Wollongong | Anglican | $27,890 |
| 91 | Loreto Normanhurst | Sydney | Catholic (Loreto) | $27,820 |
| 92 | Yarra Valley Grammar | Melbourne | Anglican | $27,820 |
| 93 | St Hilda's School Southport | Gold Coast | Anglican | $27,284 |
| 94 | Penleigh and Essendon Grammar Senior | Melbourne | Independent (non-denominational) | $26,720 |
| 95 | Tintern Grammar | Melbourne | Anglican | $26,480 |
| 96 | Tara Anglican School for Girls | Sydney | Anglican | $26,420 |
| 97 | Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar | Melbourne | Baptist | $26,420 |
| 98 | Methodist Ladies' College Perth | Perth | Uniting Church | $26,240 |
| 99 | Penleigh and Essendon Grammar (PEGS) | Melbourne | Independent (non-denominational) | $26,240 |
| 100 | St Peters Lutheran College | Brisbane | Lutheran | $26,088 |
| 101 | Radford College | Canberra | Anglican | $25,950 |
| 102 | Kinross Wolaroi School | Newcastle | Uniting Church | $25,920 |
| 103 | Oxley College | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $25,920 |
| 104 | Hills Grammar School | Sydney | Independent (non-denominational) | $25,820 |
| 105 | The Friends' School | Hobart | Quaker | $25,760 |
| 106 | Hunter Valley Grammar School | Newcastle | Independent (secular) | $25,500 |
| 107 | Fahan School | Hobart | Independent (Non-denominational Christian ethos) | $25,000 |
| 108 | Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) | Brisbane | Anglican | $24,820 |
| 109 | Lowther Hall Anglican Girls Grammar | Melbourne | Anglican | $24,820 |
| 110 | St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace | Brisbane | Catholic (Edmund Rice) | $24,214 |
| 111 | St Mary's Anglican Girls' School | Perth | Anglican | $23,980 |
| 112 | Perth College | Perth | Anglican | $23,820 |
| 113 | Meriden School | Sydney | Anglican | $23,820 |
| 114 | Ballarat Grammar | Melbourne | Anglican | $23,820 |
| 115 | St Joseph's Nudgee College | Brisbane | Catholic (Edmund Rice) | $23,250 |
| 116 | Stuartholme School | Brisbane | Catholic (Society of the Sacred Heart) | $22,820 |
| 117 | Aquinas College Perth | Perth | Catholic (Edmund Rice) | $22,779 |
| 118 | Penrhos College | Perth | Uniting Church | $22,380 |
| 119 | Toowoomba Grammar School | Brisbane | Independent (non-denominational) | $22,320 |
| 120 | Somerset College | Gold Coast | Independent (non-denominational) | $22,260 |
| 121 | Christian College Geelong | Geelong | Christian (non-denominational) | $21,944 |
| 122 | St Vincent's College | Sydney | Catholic (Sisters of Charity) | $21,940 |
| 123 | All Saints' College | Perth | Anglican | $21,820 |
| 124 | Calrossy Anglican School | Newcastle | Anglican | $21,820 |
| 125 | All Saints' College Bathurst | Newcastle | Anglican | $21,820 |
| 126 | Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College | Sydney | Catholic (Mercy) | $21,680 |
| 127 | Ballarat Clarendon College | Melbourne | Uniting Church | $21,680 |
| 128 | Macarthur Anglican School | Sydney | Anglican | $21,680 |
| 129 | Westminster School Adelaide | Adelaide | Uniting Church | $21,680 |
| 130 | William Clarke College | Sydney | Anglican | $21,620 |
| 131 | The Friends' School | Hobart | Independent (Quaker) | $21,580 |
| 132 | Trinity College Perth | Perth | Catholic (Edmund Rice) | $20,540 |
| 133 | Fairholme College Toowoomba | Brisbane | Presbyterian | $20,180 |
| 134 | St Michael's Collegiate School | Hobart | Anglican | $19,820 |
| 135 | St Kevin's College | Melbourne | Catholic (Christian Brothers) | $19,820 |
| 136 | All Hallows' School | Brisbane | Catholic (Sisters of Mercy) | $18,950 |
| 137 | Immanuel College | Adelaide | Lutheran | $18,820 |
| 138 | Concordia College Adelaide | Adelaide | Lutheran | $18,420 |
| 139 | Haileybury Rendall School | Darwin | Independent (non-denominational) | $17,940 |
| 140 | Kardinia International College | Geelong | Independent (secular) | $17,887 |
| 141 | Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School | Perth | Anglican | $17,820 |
| 142 | Tangara School for Girls | Sydney | Catholic (Opus Dei) | $17,820 |
| 143 | Geraldton Grammar School | Perth | Anglican | $17,580 |
| 144 | Burgmann Anglican School | Canberra | Anglican | $17,000 |
| 145 | The Essington International Senior College | Darwin | Independent (secular) | $16,645 |
| 146 | Loreto College Marryatville | Adelaide | Catholic (Loreto) | $15,420 |
| 147 | Trinity Christian School Canberra | Canberra | Christian | $15,388 |
| 148 | Daramalan College | Canberra | Catholic | $15,040 |
| 149 | Marist College Canberra | Canberra | Catholic | $15,004 |
| 150 | Iona College | Brisbane | Catholic (Christian Brothers) | $14,820 |
| 151 | John XXIII College | Perth | Catholic (Jesuit + Loreto) | $14,820 |
| 152 | Iona Presentation College | Perth | Catholic (Presentation) | $14,820 |
| 153 | St Patrick's College Ballarat | Melbourne | Catholic (Edmund Rice) | $14,820 |
| 154 | The Cathedral School Townsville | Brisbane | Anglican | $14,820 |
| 155 | Pacific Hills Christian School | Sydney | Christian | $14,820 |
| 156 | St Paul's School Bald Hills | Brisbane | Anglican | $14,820 |
| 157 | Emmanuel College Gold Coast | Gold Coast | Christian (multi-denominational) | $14,780 |
| 158 | All Souls St Gabriels School Charters Towers | Brisbane | Anglican | $14,620 |
| 159 | Loreto College Ballarat (Mary's Mount) | Melbourne | Catholic (Loreto) | $14,580 |
| 160 | St Laurence's College | Brisbane | Catholic (Christian Brothers) | $14,280 |
| 161 | Donvale Christian College | Melbourne | Christian | $13,820 |
| 162 | All Saints Anglican School | Gold Coast | Anglican | $13,566 |
| 163 | St Philip's Christian College Newcastle | Newcastle | Christian | $13,510 |
| 164 | Mercedes College Adelaide | Adelaide | Catholic (Mercy) | $13,280 |
| 165 | St Aloysius College Adelaide | Adelaide | Catholic (Mercy) | $13,280 |
| 166 | Sacred Heart College Senior Adelaide | Adelaide | Catholic (Marist) | $13,280 |
| 167 | Christian Brothers College Adelaide | Adelaide | Catholic (Christian Brothers) | $13,180 |
| 168 | Macquarie College Wallsend | Newcastle | Seventh-day Adventist | $12,968 |
| 169 | Mercedes College Perth | Perth | Catholic (Mercy) | $12,820 |
| 170 | Star of the Sea College | Melbourne | Catholic (Presentation) | $12,820 |
| 171 | Coomera Anglican College | Gold Coast | Anglican | $12,100 |
| 172 | Trinity College Beenleigh | Brisbane | Lutheran | $11,820 |
| 173 | Sacred Heart College Newtown Geelong | Melbourne | Catholic (Mercy) | $11,820 |
| 174 | St Michael's College Henley Beach | Adelaide | Catholic (Lasallian) | $11,820 |
| 175 | Lourdes Hill College | Brisbane | Catholic (Good Samaritan) | $11,280 |
| 176 | Marist College North Shore | Sydney | Catholic (Marist) | $11,280 |
| 177 | Padua College Kedron | Brisbane | Catholic (Franciscan) | $11,280 |
| 178 | St Bernard's College Essendon | Melbourne | Catholic (Christian Brothers) | $11,280 |
| 179 | Edmund Rice College Wollongong | Wollongong | Catholic | $11,240 |
| 180 | Brigidine College Randwick | Sydney | Catholic (Brigidine) | $10,880 |
| 181 | St Mary's Cathedral College | Sydney | Catholic | $10,820 |
| 182 | Salesian College Sunbury | Melbourne | Catholic (Salesian) | $10,820 |
| 183 | St Mary Star of the Sea College | Wollongong | Catholic | $10,803 |
| 184 | St Edmund's College Canberra | Canberra | Catholic | $10,700 |
| 185 | Trinity Lutheran College Ashmore | Gold Coast | Lutheran | $10,400 |
| 186 | St Patrick's College Strathfield | Sydney | Catholic (Christian Brothers) | $10,180 |
| 187 | De La Salle College Caringbah | Sydney | Catholic (De La Salle Brothers) | $9,820 |
| 188 | Marcellin College Randwick | Sydney | Catholic (Marist) | $9,820 |
| 189 | Cabra Dominican College | Adelaide | Catholic (Dominican) | $9,820 |
| 190 | Lakes Grammar Anglican School | Newcastle | Anglican | $9,399 |
| 191 | Good Shepherd Lutheran College | Darwin | Lutheran | $8,320 |
| 192 | St Joseph's College Geelong | Geelong | Catholic | $8,100 |
| 193 | Marian Catholic College Kenthurst | Sydney | Catholic (FMA) | $7,920 |
| 194 | Marian College Sunshine West | Melbourne | Catholic (FCJ) | $7,820 |
| 195 | Mater Christi College | Melbourne | Catholic (Presentation) | $7,820 |
| 196 | Casimir Catholic College | Sydney | Catholic | $7,820 |
| 197 | Marrara Christian College | Darwin | Christian (non-denominational) | $7,790 |
| 198 | Calvin Christian School | Hobart | Christian | $7,467 |
| 199 | Saint Ignatius College Geelong | Geelong | Catholic (Jesuit tradition) | $7,300 |
| 200 | King's Christian College | Gold Coast | Christian | $6,753 |
| 201 | St Mary's College Hobart | Hobart | Catholic (Presentation Sisters) | $6,690 |
| 202 | O'Loughlin Catholic College | Darwin | Catholic | $6,595 |
| 203 | Guilford Young College | Hobart | Catholic | $6,500 |
| 204 | Sacred Heart College Geelong | Geelong | Catholic | $5,140 |
| 205 | Clonard College Geelong | Geelong | Catholic | $4,840 |
| 206 | Trinity Catholic College Adamstown | Newcastle | Catholic | $3,488 |
| 207 | San Clemente Catholic College Mayfield | Newcastle | Catholic | $3,488 |
Methodology
How we built this dataset
2026 verified, pre-2026 indexed. Each school's 2026 Year 12 fee is recorded directly from the school's published 2026 fee schedule (or ACARA MySchool register where unavailable). Pre-2026 figures are computed backwards from the verified 2026 figure by applying the ABS Consumer Price Index "secondary education" sub-series (Cat 6401.0) year-by-year.
This sub-series tracks Australian private school fees as a national weighted average and is the most authoritative inflation benchmark for the sector. Audit sample shows estimates are within ±5% of actual fees for most schools.
Annual ABS rates applied: 2018 +3.2%, 2019 +3.4%, 2020 +3.2%, 2021 +2.5%, 2022 +5.7%, 2023 +6.1%, 2024 +5.3%, 2025 +4.7%, 2026 +5.1%.
What's excluded. All figures are tuition only — boarding, capital levies, technology levies, uniforms, camps, excursions and extra-curricular fees are not included. Total cost of attendance is typically 8–15% above the headline tuition.
Currency + scope. All figures in nominal AUD (not inflation-adjusted to a base year). For real-terms comparison, divide each year's nominal fee by the CPI for that year.
Future work. Per-school verified historical chains will be added as we complete audits of school annual reports. Until then we display indexed estimates uniformly so users + journalists can compare across schools without verification asymmetry.
Citation: Compare Private Schools, "Australian private school fee inflation 2018–2026", https://compareprivateschools.com.au/fee-inflation/, 2026. Released under CC BY 4.0. Use freely with attribution.