Back to school costs and statistics for 2025

The beginning of a new year marks the dreaded back to school shop for parents across the country.

Finder found that parents will spend $13.6 billion on back-to-school costs in 2025, including tuition, school supplies and other costs.

How much will parents spend on back to school costs?

When all costs – like tuition fees, camps, excursions, sporting equipment and transport costs – are taken into account, parents are shelling out on average $2,671 per primary school child per year, and $5,043 on secondary students.

That adds up to a whopping national spend of $13.6 billion – $5.7 billion spent on primary school costs, and $7.9 billion for secondary school costs.

How much does tuition cost in Australia?

Tuition fees are the biggest school expense, costing parents on average anywhere between anywhere between $314 for a public primary school to $12,286 for an independent secondary school, adding up to a national spend of $4.2 billion.

Victoria ranks as the most expensive state for private primary schools, with the average independent school tuition costing $8,440 per year for primary students.

For private secondary schools, New South Wales is the most expensive with the average independent school tuition costing $13,896 per year for secondary students. That's compared to $8,687 in WA.

When it comes to government schools however, Victoria and South Australia take the lead with the average primary school in Victoria asking parents for a voluntary contribution of $485, and the average secondary school in South Australia asking for $967.

How much do school supplies cost?

A fresh set of school supplies – complete with textbooks, stationery and a uniform – will set parents back $694 for primary school children and $1,149 for secondary students.

Across the country, school supplies are expected to cost families a staggering $3.7 billion for the year ahead.

School uniforms are the priciest back-to-school item, costing $245 for primary students and $469 for secondary students each year. Electronic devices come in second place at $243 and $300 respectively.

What are the other hidden costs?

School tuition and supplies can add up quickly, but there are plenty of other things parents will spend money on this year.

Some hidden costs include transport to and from school, costing primary students $525 and secondary students $626, and school camps, costing $327 and $465 respectively.

Electronic devices like laptops and tablets can be crucial for students at school and at home. Finder's analysis of research from the Futurity Investment Group found parents can expect to pay $243 per year on devices in primary school, and $299 in secondary school.

1 in 3 Aussie parents can't afford back to school costs

Back to school costs are a huge burden for millions of Aussie families this January, according to new research by Finder.

Finder data shows 29% of Aussie parents with school-aged children – equivalent to 869,000 households – can't afford back to school expenses including stationery and uniforms.

One in seven (15%) admit they will have to go into debt to pay for back to school costs.

A further 8% of families say they'll have to buy second hand items or use hand-me-downs to get their child back in the classroom.

The research shows 4% of school aged children will be using last year's supplies.

Sadly 2% of families say their child will have to go without.

How to save on back to school costs

Buy quality where it counts. You can extend the lifespan of backpacks by shopping around for something durable that will withstand years of being tossed around. On the other hand, stick to budget-friendly brands when it comes to losable items like lunch boxes and water bottles. There's no point in buying something fancy if you're going to have to replace it 6 months later.

Buy a few sizes up. Kids grow! Before you know it, they've outgrown the school uniform that cost you hundreds of dollars. Avoid forking out on a new uniform every year by buying a few sizes up. It might look a bit large on them now, but they'll quickly grow into it. A small amount of wiggle room in their shoes will help too.

Get on the front foot. Don't leave your school shop to the last minute – facing crowds and empty shelves will be stressful for both you and your kids. Start shopping early and look out for back to school sales. This can save you hundreds of dollars over the year, especially on pricey items like laptops.

Methodology

• • Finder used pricing data from Kmart, Officeworks and the Athlete's Foot to calculate the average annual cost of back to school items for primary and secondary school students.
  • Analysis assumes some items (e.g. notebooks and pens) are purchased annually, while others are purchased less frequently (e.g. uniforms).
  • Statistics on school supplies are based on Finder's list of back to school items.
  • Data on tuition was sourced from the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority and the cost of uniforms, textbooks and other equipment was sourced from Futurity Investment Group.
  • Demographic data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics were used to calculate national spend.

Written by

Saranga Sudarshan

Analyst

Saranga Sudarshan is an experienced analyst specialising in consumer finance research, data analysis and market intelligence. Formerly a research analyst at Frost & Sullivan, he holds a PhD in political philosophy from the University of St Andrews, as well as a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Sydney. Saranga was an Analyst at Finder from 2022 to 2024. See full bio

Saranga's expertise

Saranga has written 21 Finder guides across topics including:

• Personal finance
• Data analysis

Co-written by

Joshua Godfrey

Insights Analyst

Joshua Godfrey is an Insights Analyst at Finder, specialising in data analysis and identifying emerging trends through the Consumer Sentiment Tracker, a monthly survey on Australians' financial attitudes. He has co-authored Finder’s 2023 Green Report and 2024 Wealth Building Report, which have been widely quoted in top media outlets like the AFR and news.com.au. With a Bachelor of Business in Finance and Marketing and a Diploma of Creative Intelligence from UTS, Josh is passionate about uncovering patterns in consumer sentiment and exploring how they influence the future of finance. See full bio

Joshua's expertise

Joshua has written 28 Finder guides across topics including:

• Data and analytics
• Money trends