Public school current spending per pupil

Current spending of public elementary and secondary school systems divided by their fall enrollment, in US dollars, from the U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey of School System Finances (Table 8). Current spending is instruction plus support services such as administration, transport and food services; it leaves out capital outlay, debt interest, payments to other school systems, and adult education and other programs outside kindergarten to grade 12. The year is the fiscal year, which ends on 30 June in most states (2024 means July 2023 to June 2024).

Current dollars, not adjusted for inflation or for price differences between states. NCES publishes a similar per pupil figure from its own finance survey with a different enrollment base, so the two differ slightly.

Key facts

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

Rankings

US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2024

Top 15. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

New York: 31,918 USDNew York31,918District of Columbia: 31,529 USDDistrict of Columbia31,529Vermont: 28,818 USDVermont28,818New Jersey: 27,234 USDNew Jersey27,234Connecticut: 26,316 USDConnecticut26,316Massachusetts: 24,429 USDMassachusetts24,429Hawaii: 23,878 USDHawaii23,878New Hampshire: 22,978 USDNew Hampshire22,978Delaware: 22,201 USDDelaware22,201Rhode Island: 22,110 USDRhode Island22,110Illinois: 21,776 USDIllinois21,776Pennsylvania: 21,091 USDPennsylvania21,091Alaska: 21,004 USDAlaska21,004California: 20,791 USDCalifornia20,791Wyoming: 20,521 USDWyoming20,521
USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking of states

Places with data

Published for countries, regions and states.

Countries

Regions and states

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