The quality of education for many American students often depends on their residential ZIP code.

Disparities appear not only between affluent suburbs and underfunded urban districts but also across different states nationwide.

US public schools secured nearly $995 billion in 2024, with state and local sources supplying about 90 percent of the total according to Census figures. Local governments contributed $429.8 billion toward primary and secondary education while states provided $450 billion.

Public schools spent an average of $17,619 per student each year across the country though amounts varied substantially by state.

New York directed nearly twice the national average toward each pupil while Idaho lagged several thousand dollars behind that benchmark.

Greater funding does not ensure higher education quality yet resources for salaries and materials can directly affect student outcomes.

Business Insider examined the US Census Bureau's most recent Annual Survey of School System Finances covering fiscal year 2024 to measure state spending on public school students.

Rankings rely on current per-student expenditures from the survey covering pre-K through grade 12 while excluding capital outlays and debt service.

Enrollment data also originate from Census records reflecting fall 2023 figures.

To contextualize spending against each state's economy without adjusting for living costs median household income from the latest American Community Survey 2024 estimates is provided.

Review how much each state allocates to public education per student ordered from lowest 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: $15,592

Number of enrolled students: 679,625

Median household income: $60,942