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School Districts
Public school districts and education agencies by state
- Districts and agencies
- 19,265
- Open in the latest NCES directory
- Students
- 49,281,812
- Fall enrollment
- Highest spending per student
- New York
- $34,578
Enrollment and school counts come from the NCES Common Core of Data. Spending comes from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of School System Finances, and child poverty from Census SAIPE model estimates. Per-pupil spending is current spending (salaries, benefits, supplies and services), not construction or debt, and is shown only for districts with at least 50 students.
School districts by state
Spending per student is the enrollment-weighted average of districts that report it
| State | Districts | Students | Per student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 161 | 751,060 | $13,926 |
| Alaska | 53 | 127,890 | $21,052 |
| American Samoa | 1 | Not reported | N/A |
| Arizona | 660 | 1,097,769 | $12,256 |
| Arkansas | 303 | 490,799 | $13,585 |
| California | 2,090 | 5,785,159 | $20,318 |
| Colorado | 274 | 865,055 | $15,852 |
| Connecticut | 209 | 490,969 | $25,882 |
| Delaware | 46 | 142,156 | $22,312 |
| District of Columbia | 69 | 93,707 | $33,023 |
| Florida | 84 | 2,856,320 | $13,006 |
| Georgia | 255 | 1,743,285 | $15,800 |
| Guam | 5 | 25,646 | N/A |
| Hawaii | 1 | 167,071 | $24,029 |
| Idaho | 192 | 315,123 | $11,152 |
| Illinois | 1,030 | 1,842,881 | $21,558 |
| Indiana | 459 | 1,037,604 | $13,688 |
| Iowa | 341 | 497,102 | $13,711 |
| Kansas | 336 | 477,004 | $14,964 |
| Kentucky | 177 | 655,997 | $14,752 |
| Louisiana | 188 | 664,363 | $15,624 |
| Maine | 274 | 165,730 | $20,602 |
| Maryland | 25 | 891,525 | $20,258 |
| Massachusetts | 420 | 915,854 | $26,530 |
| Michigan | 884 | 1,369,183 | $16,517 |
| Minnesota | 561 | 874,722 | $17,086 |
| Mississippi | 152 | 431,206 | $12,392 |
| Missouri | 567 | 885,243 | $13,963 |
| Montana | 473 | 146,914 | $13,804 |
| Nebraska | 280 | 330,086 | $15,580 |
| Nevada | 20 | 474,586 | $14,868 |
| New Hampshire | 217 | 162,945 | $23,253 |
| New Jersey | 694 | 1,354,536 | $28,436 |
| New Mexico | 156 | 303,773 | $17,673 |
| New York | 1,111 | 2,502,601 | $34,578 |
| North Carolina | 358 | 1,548,672 | $13,045 |
| North Dakota | 220 | 119,656 | $16,610 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1 | 897 | N/A |
| Ohio | 1,137 | 1,659,790 | $16,609 |
| Oklahoma | 580 | 697,332 | $12,202 |
| Oregon | 224 | 539,417 | $17,732 |
| Pennsylvania | 785 | 1,666,452 | $21,758 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 235,819 | N/A |
| Rhode Island | 67 | 133,879 | $23,945 |
| South Carolina | 94 | 796,780 | $15,090 |
| South Dakota | 164 | 140,513 | $13,034 |
| Tennessee | 149 | 1,002,363 | $13,056 |
| Texas | 1,227 | 5,543,005 | $12,815 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 2 | 10,410 | N/A |
| Utah | 155 | 683,872 | $11,467 |
| Vermont | 188 | 77,756 | $25,128 |
| Virginia | 210 | 1,257,315 | $17,169 |
| Washington | 340 | 1,094,392 | $18,435 |
| West Virginia | 67 | 242,155 | $15,637 |
| Wisconsin | 466 | 805,558 | $16,457 |
| Wyoming | 62 | 89,915 | $20,645 |
Frequently asked questions
- How many school districts are in the U.S.?
- The latest NCES Common Core of Data lists 19,265 open school districts and other local education agencies, including charter districts, regional service agencies and state-run agencies.
- Which states spend the most per student?
- New York ($34,578), District of Columbia ($33,023), New Jersey ($28,436) have the highest average current spending per student among districts reporting finance data.
- What does per-pupil spending include?
- It is current spending for elementary and secondary education divided by fall enrollment, as published by the Census Bureau. It includes instruction, support services such as transportation and administration, and other day-to-day costs. It leaves out capital outlay for buildings and interest on debt.
- Why do some districts have no spending or poverty figures?
- Charter districts, education service agencies and other special agencies often do not report finance data separately, and Census SAIPE estimates child poverty only for geographic school districts. Values are also hidden for districts with fewer than 50 students, where a per-pupil figure can swing widely.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data; U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances and SAIPE · Last updated 10/22/2026