School Spending 2024: How Much Each U.S. State Spends Per Public School Student (Ranked)

Public elementary and secondary schools in the United States are funded through a mix of federal, state and local taxes, with state and local governments supplying the largest shares. In fiscal 2024, public schools nationwide spent an average of $17,619 per enrolled student.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances, nearly $995 billion was directed to primary and secondary education in fiscal 2024, with state governments providing about $450 billion and local governments contributing roughly $429.8 billion. These totals exclude non-current spending such as capital outlays and debt service.

What the ranking measures

This ranking uses current operating expenditures per enrolled public school student (public pre-K through 12th grade) from the Census survey for fiscal 2024. Enrollment figures reflect fall 2023 counts. Median household incomes shown are 2024 estimates from the American Community Survey. Figures are not adjusted for cost-of-living differences between states.

Key takeaways

National average (per pupil): $17,619.
Highest state: New York — $31,918 per pupil.
Lowest state: Idaho — $11,060 per pupil.

State-by-state ranking (Lowest to Highest)

50. Idaho
Per-pupil spending: $11,060
Number of enrolled students: 285,690
Median household income: $81,166

49. Utah
Per-pupil spending: $11,347
Number of enrolled students: 609,785
Median household income: $96,658

48. Arizona
Per-pupil spending: $12,003
Number of enrolled students: 884,915
Median household income: $81,486

47. Oklahoma
Per-pupil spending: $12,162
Number of enrolled students: 647,207
Median household income: $66,148

46. Mississippi
Per-pupil spending: $12,324
Number of enrolled students: 432,375
Median household income: $59,127

45. Florida
Per-pupil spending: $12,693
Number of enrolled students: 2,841,039
Median household income: $77,735

44. South Dakota
Per-pupil spending: $12,828
Number of enrolled students: 140,930
Median household income: $76,881

43. Tennessee
Per-pupil spending: $12,882
Number of enrolled students: 997,720
Median household income: $71,997

42. Texas
Per-pupil spending: $12,895
Number of enrolled students: 5,111,073
Median household income: $79,721

41. North Carolina
Per-pupil spending: $12,995
Number of enrolled students: 1,396,880
Median household income: $73,958

40. Indiana
Per-pupil spending: $13,622
Number of enrolled students: 978,458
Median household income: $71,959

39. Alabama
Per-pupil spending: $13,627
Number of enrolled students: 741,082
Median household income: $66,659

38. Montana
Per-pupil spending: $13,656
Number of enrolled students: 154,013
Median household income: $75,340

37. Arkansas
Per-pupil spending: $13,873
Number of enrolled students: 458,186
Median household income: $62,106

36. Missouri
Per-pupil spending: $14,241
Number of enrolled students: 865,208
Median household income: $71,589

35. Iowa
Per-pupil spending: $14,369
Number of enrolled students: 507,866
Median household income: $75,501

34. Kentucky
Per-pupil spending: $14,596
Number of enrolled students: 656,427
Median household income: $64,526

33. Nevada
Per-pupil spending: $14,812
Number of enrolled students: 417,474
Median household income: $81,134

32. South Carolina
Per-pupil spending: $15,060
Number of enrolled students: 738,314
Median household income: $72,350

31. Kansas
Per-pupil spending: $15,558
Number of enrolled students: 482,136
Median household income: $75,514

30. Louisiana
Per-pupil spending: $15,581
Number of enrolled students: 628,335
Median household income: $60,986

29. West Virginia
Per-pupil spending: $15,640
Number of enrolled students: 244,054
Median household income: $60,798

28. Georgia
Per-pupil spending: $15,833
Number of enrolled students: 1,705,143
Median household income: $79,991

27. Colorado
Per-pupil spending: $15,908
Number of enrolled students: 841,065
Median household income: $97,113

26. Wisconsin
Per-pupil spending: $15,952
Number of enrolled students: 802,501
Median household income: $77,488

25. Nebraska
Per-pupil spending: $16,147
Number of enrolled students: 328,848
Median household income: $76,376

24. Minnesota
Per-pupil spending: $17,098
Number of enrolled students: 794,003
Median household income: $87,117

23. North Dakota
Per-pupil spending: $17,102
Number of enrolled students: 119,016
Median household income: $77,871

22. Virginia
Per-pupil spending: $17,104
Number of enrolled students: 1,258,795
Median household income: $92,090

21. Ohio
Per-pupil spending: $17,257
Number of enrolled students: 1,550,261
Median household income: $72,212

20. New Mexico
Per-pupil spending: $17,664
Number of enrolled students: 289,851
Median household income: $67,816

19. Oregon
Per-pupil spending: $18,083
Number of enrolled students: 545,641
Median household income: $85,220

18. Michigan
Per-pupil spending: $18,314
Number of enrolled students: 1,224,595
Median household income: $72,389

17. Washington
Per-pupil spending: $18,564
Number of enrolled students: 1,086,202
Median household income: $99,389

16. Maine
Per-pupil spending: $19,962
Number of enrolled students: 169,316
Median household income: $76,442

15. Maryland
Per-pupil spending: $20,208
Number of enrolled students: 889,728
Median household income: $102,905

14. Wyoming
Per-pupil spending: $20,521
Number of enrolled students: 90,761
Median household income: $75,532

13. California
Per-pupil spending: $20,791
Number of enrolled students: 5,274,265
Median household income: $100,149

12. Alaska
Per-pupil spending: $21,004
Number of enrolled students: 131,243
Median household income: $95,665

11. Pennsylvania
Per-pupil spending: $21,091
Number of enrolled students: 1,506,485
Median household income: $77,545

10. Illinois
Per-pupil spending: $21,776
Number of enrolled students: 1,831,215
Median household income: $83,211

9. Rhode Island
Per-pupil spending: $22,110
Number of enrolled students: 122,128
Median household income: $83,504

8. Delaware
Per-pupil spending: $22,201
Number of enrolled students: 123,393
Median household income: $87,534

7. New Hampshire
Per-pupil spending: $22,978
Number of enrolled students: 156,325
Median household income: $99,782

6. Hawaii
Per-pupil spending: $23,878
Number of enrolled students: 169,308
Median household income: $100,745

5. Massachusetts
Per-pupil spending: $24,429
Number of enrolled students: 862,765
Median household income: $104,828

4. Connecticut
Per-pupil spending: $26,316
Number of enrolled students: 472,293
Median household income: $96,049

3. New Jersey
Per-pupil spending: $27,234
Number of enrolled students: 1,323,927
Median household income: $104,294

2. Vermont
Per-pupil spending: $28,818
Number of enrolled students: 81,266
Median household income: $82,730

1. New York
Per-pupil spending: $31,918
Number of enrolled students: 2,350,583
Median household income: $85,820

Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances (fiscal 2024). Enrollment figures reflect fall 2023. Median household incomes are 2024 ACS estimates. Rankings use current operating expenditures per pupil and exclude capital spending and debt payments. Figures are not adjusted for cost of living.