Data / Rankings / Public school current spending per pupil / US states

US states by public school current spending per pupil

New York had the highest public school current spending per pupil of 51 states in 2013, at $19,818. Utah had the lowest, at $6,555. The median was $10,490 and the figure for the United States was $10,724. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest19,818New York
Lowest6,555Utah
Median10,49051 states
United States10,724History

Map of states, 2013

Alabama: 8,755 USDAlaska: 18,175 USDArizona: 7,208 USDArkansas: 9,394 USDCalifornia: 9,220 USDColorado: 8,647 USDConnecticut: 16,631 USDDelaware: 13,833 USDDistrict of Columbia: 19,076 USDFlorida: 8,433 USDGeorgia: 9,099 USDHawaii: 11,823 USDIdaho: 6,791 USDIllinois: 12,287 USDIndiana: 9,566 USDIowa: 10,313 USDKansas: 9,828 USDKentucky: 9,316 USDLouisiana: 10,490 USDMaine: 12,147 USDMaryland: 13,829 USDMassachusetts: 14,545 USDMichigan: 10,948 USDMinnesota: 11,089 USDMississippi: 8,130 USDMissouri: 9,597 USDMontana: 10,625 USDNebraska: 11,579 USDNevada: 8,339 USDNew Hampshire: 13,721 USDNew Jersey: 18,228 USDNew Mexico: 9,012 USDNew York: 19,818 USDNorth Carolina: 8,390 USDNorth Dakota: 11,980 USDOhio: 11,148 USDOklahoma: 7,672 USDOregon: 9,543 USDPennsylvania: 13,864 USDRhode Island: 14,415 USDSouth Carolina: 9,514 USDSouth Dakota: 8,470 USDTennessee: 8,496 USDTexas: 8,299 USDUtah: 6,555 USDVermont: 16,419 USDVirginia: 10,960 USDWashington: 9,672 USDWest Virginia: 11,132 USDWisconsin: 11,071 USDWyoming: 15,700 USD
  • Under 8,400
  • 8,400 to 9,400
  • 9,400 to 10K
  • 10K to 12K
  • 12K to 14K
  • 14K and over
USD, 2013. 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. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2013

New York: 19,818 USDNew York19,818District of Columbia: 19,076 USDDistrict of Columbia19,076New Jersey: 18,228 USDNew Jersey18,228Alaska: 18,175 USDAlaska18,175Connecticut: 16,631 USDConnecticut16,631Vermont: 16,419 USDVermont16,419Wyoming: 15,700 USDWyoming15,700Massachusetts: 14,545 USDMassachusetts14,545Rhode Island: 14,415 USDRhode Island14,415Pennsylvania: 13,864 USDPennsylvania13,864Delaware: 13,833 USDDelaware13,833Maryland: 13,829 USDMaryland13,829New Hampshire: 13,721 USDNew Hampshire13,721Illinois: 12,287 USDIllinois12,287Maine: 12,147 USDMaine12,147North Dakota: 11,980 USDNorth Dakota11,980Hawaii: 11,823 USDHawaii11,823Nebraska: 11,579 USDNebraska11,579Ohio: 11,148 USDOhio11,148West Virginia: 11,132 USDWest Virginia11,132Minnesota: 11,089 USDMinnesota11,089Wisconsin: 11,071 USDWisconsin11,071Virginia: 10,960 USDVirginia10,960Michigan: 10,948 USDMichigan10,948Montana: 10,625 USDMontana10,625Louisiana: 10,490 USDLouisiana10,490Iowa: 10,313 USDIowa10,313Kansas: 9,828 USDKansas9,828Washington: 9,672 USDWashington9,672Missouri: 9,597 USDMissouri9,597Indiana: 9,566 USDIndiana9,566Oregon: 9,543 USDOregon9,543South Carolina: 9,514 USDSouth Carolina9,514Arkansas: 9,394 USDArkansas9,394Kentucky: 9,316 USDKentucky9,316California: 9,220 USDCalifornia9,220Georgia: 9,099 USDGeorgia9,099New Mexico: 9,012 USDNew Mexico9,012Alabama: 8,755 USDAlabama8,755Colorado: 8,647 USDColorado8,647Tennessee: 8,496 USDTennessee8,496South Dakota: 8,470 USDSouth Dakota8,470Florida: 8,433 USDFlorida8,433North Carolina: 8,390 USDNorth Carolina8,390Nevada: 8,339 USDNevada8,339Texas: 8,299 USDTexas8,299Mississippi: 8,130 USDMississippi8,130Oklahoma: 7,672 USDOklahoma7,672Arizona: 7,208 USDArizona7,208Idaho: 6,791 USDIdaho6,791Utah: 6,555 USDUtah6,555New York: 19,818 USDNew York19,818District of Columbia: 19,076 USDDistrict of Columbia19,076New Jersey: 18,228 USDNew Jersey18,228Alaska: 18,175 USDAlaska18,175Connecticut: 16,631 USDConnecticut16,631Vermont: 16,419 USDVermont16,419Wyoming: 15,700 USDWyoming15,700Massachusetts: 14,545 USDMassachusetts14,545Rhode Island: 14,415 USDRhode Island14,415Pennsylvania: 13,864 USDPennsylvania13,864Delaware: 13,833 USDDelaware13,833Maryland: 13,829 USDMaryland13,829New Hampshire: 13,721 USDNew Hampshire13,721Illinois: 12,287 USDIllinois12,287Maine: 12,147 USDMaine12,147North Dakota: 11,980 USDNorth Dakota11,980Hawaii: 11,823 USDHawaii11,823Nebraska: 11,579 USDNebraska11,579Ohio: 11,148 USDOhio11,148West Virginia: 11,132 USDWest Virginia11,132Minnesota: 11,089 USDMinnesota11,089Wisconsin: 11,071 USDWisconsin11,071Virginia: 10,960 USDVirginia10,960Michigan: 10,948 USDMichigan10,948Montana: 10,625 USDMontana10,625Louisiana: 10,490 USDLouisiana10,490Iowa: 10,313 USDIowa10,313Kansas: 9,828 USDKansas9,828Washington: 9,672 USDWashington9,672Missouri: 9,597 USDMissouri9,597Indiana: 9,566 USDIndiana9,566Oregon: 9,543 USDOregon9,543South Carolina: 9,514 USDSouth Carolina9,514Arkansas: 9,394 USDArkansas9,394Kentucky: 9,316 USDKentucky9,316California: 9,220 USDCalifornia9,220Georgia: 9,099 USDGeorgia9,099New Mexico: 9,012 USDNew Mexico9,012Alabama: 8,755 USDAlabama8,755Colorado: 8,647 USDColorado8,647Tennessee: 8,496 USDTennessee8,496South Dakota: 8,470 USDSouth Dakota8,470Florida: 8,433 USDFlorida8,433North Carolina: 8,390 USDNorth Carolina8,390Nevada: 8,339 USDNevada8,339Texas: 8,299 USDTexas8,299Mississippi: 8,130 USDMississippi8,130Oklahoma: 7,672 USDOklahoma7,672Arizona: 7,208 USDArizona7,208Idaho: 6,791 USDIdaho6,791Utah: 6,555 USDUtah6,555
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

RankStates2013
USD		Change on 2012
1New York19,818+1.4%
2District of Columbia19,076+9.2%
3New Jersey18,228+5.6%
4Alaska18,175+4.5%
5Connecticut16,631+2.2%
6Vermont16,419+2.4%
7Wyoming15,700-1.2%
8Massachusetts14,545+2.8%
9Rhode Island14,415+2.9%
10Pennsylvania13,864+3.9%
11Delaware13,833-0.2%
12Maryland13,829+1.6%
13New Hampshire13,721+0.9%
14Illinois12,287+2.3%
15Maine12,147-0.3%
16North Dakota11,980+2.6%
17Hawaii11,823-1.9%
18Nebraska11,579+2.7%
19Ohio11,148-0.5%
20West Virginia11,132-2.7%
21Minnesota11,089+2.7%
22Wisconsin11,071+0.3%
23Virginia10,960+2.9%
24Michigan10,948+0.9%
25Montana10,625+1.5%
26Louisiana10,490-7.8%
27Iowa10,313+2.7%
28Kansas9,828+0.8%
29Washington9,672+0.4%
30Missouri9,597+1.7%
31Indiana9,566-1.6%
32Oregon9,543+0.6%
33South Carolina9,514+4%
34Arkansas9,394-0.2%
35Kentucky9,316-0.8%
36California9,220+0.4%
37Georgia9,099-1.6%
38New Mexico9,012+1.3%
39Alabama8,755+2.3%
40Colorado8,647+1.2%
41Tennessee8,496+2.4%
42South Dakota8,470+0.3%
43Florida8,433+0.7%
44North Carolina8,390+2.3%
45Nevada8,339+1.4%
46Texas8,299+0.5%
47Mississippi8,130-0.4%
48Oklahoma7,672+2.8%
49Arizona7,208-4.6%
50Idaho6,791+2%
51Utah6,555+5.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

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).

More on how it is measured
  • 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.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

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. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2017). Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total (US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2013) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html

MLA 9

Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total, US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2013. U.S. Census Bureau, 16 Mar. 2017, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/public-school-spending-per-pupil/us-states?period=2013. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2017. Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total. US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2013. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/public-school-spending-per-pupil/us-states?period=2013.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2017) Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total, US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2013 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/public-school-spending-per-pupil/us-states?period=2013 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_states_by_public_2013,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total: US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2013}},
  year = {2017},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/public-school-spending-per-pupil/us-states?period=2013. Publisher attribution: 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. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Annual Survey of School System Finances, Table 8: per pupil amounts for current spending of public elementary-secondary school systems by state, total: US states by public school current spending per pupil, 2013
PY  - 2017
DA  - 2017/03/16
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/public-school-spending-per-pupil/us-states?period=2013
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/public-school-spending-per-pupil/us-states?period=2013.
N1  - Publisher attribution: 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. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/school-finances/data/tables.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest public school current spending per pupil?

New York, with $19,818 in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest public school current spending per pupil?

Utah, with $6,555 in 2013.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: 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.

US states: more rankings