• US public schools rely on federal, state, and local taxes, with state and local taxes contributing the most.
• Public schools across the US spent an annual average of $17,619 per student in 2024.
• New York had the highest spending per public school student at $31,918.

For many students in the US, the ZIP code they live in can shape the quality of education they get.

And while a lot of disparity can exist between wealthy suburbs and under-resourced urban school districts, differences can also show up dramatically when comparing education across US states.

In 2024, US public schools received nearly $995 billion in funding, with state and local sources combined providing nearly 90% of the total, according to Census data. Nationwide, local governments provided $429.8 billion for primary and secondary education funding, while state governments provided $450 billion.

Across the nation, public schools spent an average of $17,619 per enrolled student annually, though this figure varied widely by state.

Some states, like New York, spent nearly twice the national average per student, while others, like Idaho, trailed the national average by thousands of dollars.

While better-funded schools don't automatically translate into better-quality education, the resources a school can rely on for instructor pay and materials can tangibly impact students' education.

To evaluate how much each state invests in its public school students, Business Insider looked at the US Census Bureau's latest Annual Survey of School System Finances, which covered the 2024 fiscal year.

The ranking is based on the current spending per public school student listed in the survey data, which covers public pre-K through 12th grade and excludes non-current expenses, such as capital outlay and debt service.

Student enrollment figures also come from Census data and reflect enrollment starting in the fall of 2023.

To put this spending — which does not account for cost-of-living differences between states — in context with each state's local economy, we listed the median household income from the Census Bureau's latest American Community Survey, reflecting 2024 estimates.

See how much each US state spends on public education per student, ranked from lowest amount 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

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