Per pupil spending is the amount spent on education per student. According to the US Census Bureau, the amount spent per pupil for public elementary and secondary education increased by 3.7% during the 2017 fiscal year, making the fifth consecutive year of increased spending in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Public school spending varies greatly in different states and depends on several factors. One factor is the money that the schools are allocated, which directly correlates with how much the schools spend on students. Higher teacher salaries and benefits also lead to higher per pupil spending, among a number of other factors.
For most states, instructional employee salaries and benefits account for at least half of the total per pupil spending. Administrative expenses and support staff also account for some of the spending.
New York has the highest per pupil spending of all of the 50 states. New York currently spends $23,091 per pupil, approximately 90% above the national average. Utah has the lowest per pupil spending of $7,179 per student.