Back-to-school Costs Soar
Friday, February 4. 2011
A study by Australian Scholarships Group (ASG) has revealed the bill for parents of sending their children born in 2011, to school.
National Total Schooling Costs for a Child Born in 2011–Metropolitan compared to Regional Costs
The survey shows parents living in metropolitan areas can expect to pay up to $80,000 if they choose a government education setting for their children’s future schooling, $217,000 for systemic (eg Catholic) schooling or up to $415,000 for private schooling.
Whereas parents living in regional areas experience reduced costs of up to $68,000 if they choose a government education setting, $165,000 for systemic (eg Catholic) schooling or up to $303,000 for private schooling.
National 2011 School Year Costs Preschool 2011
Nationally, preschool in 2011 will cost up to $4945 in a government preschool and up to $11,626 in a non-government facility (note, there is no metropolitan and regional breakdown for this stage of schooling).
Primary School 2011–Metropolitan compared to Regional Costs
The bill for parents of primary school children living in metropolitan areas amounted up to $4002 for government primary school, $6401 for systemic (eg Catholic) schooling, and $12,917 per year for private schooling.
These amounts compared to the regional costs for primary schooling of up to $3614 for government primary schooling, $5466 for systemic (eg Catholic) schooling and up to $9015 for the 2011 school year at a private primary school.
Secondary School 2011–Metropolitan compared to Regional Costs
Parents of secondary school children in metropolitan areas nationally can expect to pay up to $4657 for government secondary schooling, $12,138 for systemic (eg Catholic) schooling, and up to $20,888 for private secondary schooling.
In regional areas, the amounts are up to $4039 for government secondary schooling, $8993 for systemic (eg Catholic) schooling, and up to $16,272 in the 2011 school year at a private secondary school.
“At ASG, we believe in the power of education. Education opens the door to many opportunities in life,” Ms Kordovoulos said.
“As parents, we dream of our children growing up to lead successful and fulfilling lives. We envisage a world in which our children have the opportunity to pursue their chosen career without limit. Quality schooling – whatever the schooling system of choice – can provide the path to these opportunities.
“Although nations across the world, including Australia, recognise the importance of education as the means to create prosperity into the future, Australian parents are being unrealistic if they believe that education is free today, and into the future.
“Education is one of life’s necessities ranking in importance alongside health, love and encouragement. There is a total cost associated with schooling, which parents may overlook because they pay for the costs in small, incremental amounts, but the costs add up as ASG’s 2001 schooling estimates demonstrate,” Ms Kordovoulos said.
Not-for-profit organisation and Australia’s specialist education benefits provider, ASG offers parents a proven and proactive way to nurture and fund the education dreams they have for their children.
ASG has supported parents to provide education opportunities for their children for more than 35 years. Find out more about ASG and ASG’s Education Program from www.asg.com.au or phone 1800 648 945 for more information.
Note: national and state-based estimates for metropolitan and regional areas are available from ASG’s website at: www.asg.com.au/edcosts
These estimates were calculated from education costs information ASG’s Member parents supplied about more than 8000 children nationally from preschool to secondary school in metropolitan and regional areas, which were overseen by an independent market research organisation and statistician.
