Tight Labor Market Drives Tuition Hikes in Independent Schools

Independent schools are increasing tuition fees, with King’s School raising Year 12 tuition by 4.8 per cent for 2027, surpassing $50,000 before levies. Schools attribute these fee increases to rising teacher wages, campus upgrades, and cybersecurity costs. Richard Holden noted that the labor market for teachers remains tight, which is driving up costs for schools.

The rising costs are contributing to a broader trend of education expenses burdening families. Projections show that 13 years of independent education could reach $800,000 if fees continue to grow at 5 per cent annually. Some schools are also implementing new enterprise agreements that require them to pay teachers $150,000 or more next year.

Rising education costs are reported to be burdening families.