How much does the government spend on education? What percentage of people are college educated? How are kids doing in reading and math?
Latest update on January 23, 2023The education system in America is made up of different public and private programs that cover preschool, all the way up to colleges and universities. These programs cater to many students in both urban and rural areas. Get data on how students are faring by grade and subject, college graduation rates, and what federal, state, and local governments spending per student. The information comes from various government agencies including the National Center for Education Statistics and Census Bureau.
This estimate of spending on education is produced by the National Center for Education Statistics. Instruction accounts for most of the spending, though about a third includes support services including administration, maintenance, and transportation. Spending per student varies across states and school districts. During the 2019-2020 school year, New York spends the most per student ($29,597) and Idaho spends the least ($9,690).
Educational attainment is defined as the highest level of formal education a person has completed. The concept can be applied to a person, a demographic group, or a geographic area. Data on educational attainment is produced by the Census Bureau in multiple surveys, which may produce different data. Data from the American Community Survey is shown here to allow for geographic comparisons.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative data that measures student achievement. NAEP is Congressionally mandated. Tests are given in a sample of schools based on student demographics in a given school district, state, or the US overall. Testing covers a variety of subjects, most frequently math, reading, science, and writing.
USAFacts categorizes government budget data to allocate spending appropriately and to arrive at the estimate presented here. Most government spending on education occurs at the state and local levels rather than the federal.
Government revenue and expenditures are based on data from the Office of Management and Budget, the Census Bureau, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Each is published annually, although due to collection times, state and local government data are not as current as federal data. Thus, when combining federal, state, and local revenues and expenditures, the most recent year for a combined number may be delayed.
Focus | Key actors | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
Early childhood education | Department of Education | Partially fund preschools |
K-12 education | Department of Education | Partially fund K-12 schools |
Higher education | Department of Education | Partially fund institutes of higher education |
Aid for education | Department of Education | Establish policies and distribute aid (to states and individuals) including Title I funding for low-income K-12 schools, Pell Grants, federal work-study, and student loans |
Researches and regulates schools | Department of Education | Enforce Title IX and other anti-discrimination policies; set rules for data collection and analysis |
Focus |
|---|
Early childhood education |
K-12 education |
Higher education |
Aid for education |
Researches and regulates schools |