NSW universities report finds domestic student fees totaling $3.2b amid operating losses

A parliamentary report says NSW universities collect about $3.2 billion from full-time domestic students, yet still operate at a loss. The report also finds that full-time domestic students cost universities an average of about $12,000 each, reflecting the expense of delivering higher-education courses. While domestic students are paying fees for a range of costly degree offerings, the report indicates overall university expenses still exceed the revenue generated from these domestic student payments. The findings are reported by multiple outlets, which point to a gap between the cost of educating domestic students and the financial position of NSW universities. The reporting does not cite specific dollar figures for non-domestic funding or other revenue streams in the provided excerpts, focusing instead on the domestic student contribution and the reported operating losses. The report’s conclusions highlight ongoing financial pressure for universities in NSW despite substantial domestic student fee income.