The NCES Fast Facts Tool provides quick answers to many education questions (National Center for Education Statistics) (2024)

Expenditures

Question:
How much money does the United States spend on public elementary and secondary schools?

Response:

Total expenditures for public elementary and secondary schools in the United States were $870 billion in 2019–20 (in constant 2021–22 dollars).¹ This amounts to an average of $17,013 per public school pupil enrolled in the fall of that school year. Data in this Fast Fact represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia unless otherwise noted.

In 2019–20, of the $17,013 spent on total expenditures per pupil nationally,

• current expenditures—which include salaries, employee benefits, purchased services, supplies, tuition, and other expenditures—accounted for $14,789 (87 percent);
• capital outlay—which includes expenditures for property, buildings, and alterations completed by school district staff or contractors—accounted for $1,760 (10 percent); and
• interest on school debt accounted for $465 (3 percent).

Average current expenditures per pupil enrolled in the fall in public elementary and secondary schools increased by 9 percent from 2010–11 ($13,601) to 2019–20 ($14,789). During this period, current expenditures per pupil were lowest in 2012–13 ($13,130) and then increased each year from 2012–13 to 2019–20.

Average capital outlay expenditures per pupil increased by 34 percent between 2010–11 ($1,313) and 2019–20 ($1,760). Interest on school debt per pupil decreased from 2010–11 ($463) to 2015–16 ($411) and then increased from 2015–16 to 2019–20 ($465).

The majority of current expenditures for education were spent on salaries. From 2010–11 to 2019–20, the percentage of current expenditures spent on staff salaries decreased from 59 to 56 percent. In contrast, the percentage of current expenditures spent on employee benefits increased from 21 to 24 percent during this period. Altogether, 80 percent of current expenditures were spent on salaries and benefits in each year from 2010–11 to 2019–20. About two-thirds of expenditures for salaries and benefits were considered instructional spending.²

Current expenditures also include purchased services, supplies, tuition, and other expenditures. The percentage of current expenditures going to purchased services increased between 2010–11 and 2019–20 (from 10 to 11 percent). Purchased services include items such as contracts for food, transportation, janitorial services, and professional development for teachers. The percentage of current expenditures spent on supplies decreased from 8 percent in 2010–11 to 7 percent in 2019–20. Supplies range from books to heating oil. Together, tuition and other expenditures accounted for 2 percent of current expenditures in each year from 2010–11 to 2019–20.

¹ All expenditures in this Fast Fact are adjusted for inflation to constant 2021–22 dollars using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For this Fast Fact, the CPI is adjusted to a school-year basis. The CPI is prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. ² All types of current expenditures were spent on both instruction and non-instruction functions. Overall, 60 percent of current expenditures were spent on instruction and another 6 percent were spent on student support.

Related Tables and Figures:(Listed by Release Date)

• 2023, Digest of Education Statistics 2022, Table 236.10. Summary of expenditures for public elementary and secondary education and other related programs, by function: Selected school years, 1919–20 through 2019–20
  
• 2023, Digest of Education Statistics 2022, Table 236.55. Total and current expenditures per pupil in public elementary and secondary schools: Selected years, 1919–20 through 2019–20
  
• 2023, Digest of Education Statistics 2022, Table 236.60. Total and current expenditures per pupil in fall enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by function and subfunction: Selected years, 1990–91 through 2019–20
  
• 2023, Digest of Education Statistics 2022, Table 236.65. Current expenditure per pupil in fall enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by state or jurisdiction: Selected school years, 1969–70 through 2019–20
  
• 2023, Digest of Education Statistics 2022, Table 236.75. Total and current expenditures per pupil in fall enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools, by function and state or jurisdiction: School year 2019–20
  
• 2023, The Condition of Education 2023: Public School Revenue Sources
  
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 236.15.Current expenditures and current expenditures per pupil in public elementary and secondary schools: 1989–90 through 2030–31
  
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 236.20.Total expenditures for public elementary and secondary education and other related programs, by function and subfunction: Selected years, 1990–91 through 2018–19
  
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 236.25. Current expenditures for public elementary and secondary education, by state or jurisdiction: Selected years, 1969–70 through 2018–19
  
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 236.30.Total expenditures for public elementary and secondary education and other related programs, by function and state or jurisdiction: 2018–19
  
• 2022, Digest of Education Statistics 2021, Table 236.90. Students transported at public expense and current expenditures for transportation: Selected years, 1929–30 through 2018–19
  
• 2022, The Condition of Education 2022: Education Expenditures by Country
  

Other Resources:(Listed by Release Date)

• 2023, International Activities Program: This site reports on the state of education in the United States and other nations.
  
• 2023, Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY 21 (NCES 2023-301): These finance tables introduce new data for national and state-level public elementary and secondary revenues and expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2021.
  
• 2022, Education Finance Statistics Center (EDFIN): This site provides access to finance information on public elementary/secondary education.
  
• 2021, Common Core of Data (CCD) District Fiscal Reports: These reports contain data on revenues and expenditures per pupil made by school districts.
  
• 2021, Common Core of Data (CCD) State Fiscal Reports: These reports contain state totals of revenues and expenditures. This includes revenues by source and expenditures by function and object, and current expenditures per pupil and instructional expenditures.
  
• 2021, Highlights of School-Level Finance Data: Selected Findings from the School-Level Finance Survey (SLFS) School Years 2015–16 (FY 16) and 2016–17 (FY 17)
  
• 2021, NCES Blog: Highlights of 2015–16 and 2016–17 School-Level Finance Data
  
• 2021, NCES Blog: National Spending for Public Schools Increases for the Sixth Consecutive Year in School Year 2018–19
  
• 2021, NCES Blog: National Spending for Public Schools Increases for the Sixth Consecutive Year in School Year 2018–19
  
• 2021, Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: FY 19
  
• 2020, Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary School Districts: FY 18
  
• 2019, NCES Blog: Collecting School-Level Finance Data: An Evaluation From the Pilot School-Level Finance Survey (SLFS)