Published by Olympus Learning | March 2026
For families with children at NSW and ACT private schools, 2026 has brought another round of fee increases that are stretching household budgets. According to analysis published by the Australian Financial Review, private school fees across NSW and the ACT are rising by between 5% and 7% in 2026 — more than double the current rate of inflation, and significantly above the rate of wage growth for most families.
What Are Families Actually Paying?
The scale of private school fees in NSW and the ACT varies enormously, from around $10,000 per year at the lower end of the independent school sector to more than $45,000 per year at the most prestigious schools in Sydney. In Canberra, fees at leading independent schools such as Canberra Grammar School, Radford College, and Burgmann Anglican School typically range from $18,000 to $30,000 per year for secondary students.
When fees increase by 5–7%, the dollar impact is significant. A family paying $25,000 per year in school fees faces an increase of $1,250 to $1,750 per year — and that is before accounting for the additional costs of uniforms, excursions, co-curricular activities, and technology levies that are typically charged on top of tuition fees.
Why Are Fees Rising So Fast?
School business managers and principals point to several factors driving fee increases above the rate of inflation. Staff costs — which typically account for 70–80% of a school’s operating budget — are rising as schools compete for experienced teachers in a tight labour market. Capital costs are also significant: many schools are investing in new facilities, technology infrastructure, and campus upgrades that require ongoing funding. And the cost of specialist programs — elite sports, music, drama, and academic extension — continues to grow.
There is also a competitive dynamic at play. In the independent school sector, fees are partly a signal of quality and exclusivity. Schools that hold fees below the market rate risk being perceived as less prestigious than their competitors, even if their educational outcomes are equivalent or superior.
What Are Families Getting for Their Money?
The honest answer is that the relationship between school fees and educational outcomes is more complex than many families assume. Research consistently shows that the most important factors in a student’s academic achievement are the quality of teaching, the student’s own motivation and engagement, and the support they receive at home — not the prestige or cost of the school they attend.
High-fee schools do offer genuine advantages in some areas: better facilities, smaller class sizes in some subjects, a wider range of co-curricular activities, and a peer group that is often academically motivated. But these advantages do not automatically translate into better HSC results or university outcomes. The 2025 HSC results showed that several government schools outperformed many high-fee private schools on key metrics.
How Can Families Maximise the Return on Their Investment?
For families who are paying significant school fees, the question of how to maximise the return on that investment is a legitimate one. Several strategies are worth considering.
Engage actively with the school’s programs. High-fee schools offer a wide range of opportunities — academic extension programs, leadership development, co-curricular activities — that students who are not actively engaged will miss. Parents who help their children identify and pursue the opportunities that align with their interests and strengths will see a better return on their investment.
Address academic weaknesses early. One of the most common patterns in high-fee school environments is that students who are struggling academically do not receive the individual attention they need in a classroom of 20–25 students. A student who falls behind in mathematics in Year 7, for example, may find that the gap widens progressively through Years 8, 9, and 10 if it is not addressed. Early intervention — through targeted tutoring or additional support — is far more effective and less costly than crisis management in Year 11 or 12.
Supplement where the school cannot. Even the best schools cannot provide every student with the individual, personalised attention that some students need. A student who is preparing for selective school entry, who is working ahead of their year level in mathematics, or who needs intensive support in a specific subject, will often benefit from targeted external support that complements what the school provides.
At Olympus Learning, we work with students at both government and independent schools across NSW and the ACT, providing the personalised, one-on-one support that helps students get the most out of their schooling — whatever school they attend. Find a tutor today.
Sources: Australian Financial Review: Private school fees to rise at more than double the rate of inflation (November 2025) | MySchool.edu.au