The 50 highest-spending school districts in the U.S.
Onteora Central School District, NY, spent $48,608 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, the most of any U.S. district with 500 or more students; the U.S. figure was $16,260. Every district on this list spent at least $37,150; 30 are in New York, 6 are in New Jersey, 6 are in Alaska.
NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · districts with 500+ students; county offices and service agencies left out · method
The chart draws the top of the register below; its source is named under the register.
The 50 highest, with their size
| District | State | Students, fall 2022 | Per student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onteora Central School District | NY | 1,153 | $48,608 |
| Lakewood Township School District | NJ | 5,023 | $48,105 |
| Lower Yukon School District | AK | 2,035 | $48,035 |
| Asbury Park School District | NJ | 1,541 | $47,997 |
| Bering Strait School District | AK | 1,830 | $47,252 |
| Northern Valley Regional High School District | NJ | 2,053 | $46,829 |
| Northwest Arctic Borough School District | AK | 1,911 | $46,368 |
| Port Jefferson Union Free School District | NY | 918 | $45,793 |
| Locust Valley Central School District | NY | 1,920 | $45,255 |
| North Salem Central School District | NY | 985 | $45,106 |
| Sag Harbor Union Free School District | NY | 958 | $44,019 |
| Southold Union Free School District | NY | 697 | $43,788 |
| North Shore Central School District | NY | 2,572 | $43,067 |
| Desert Sands Charter District | CA | 742 | $43,030 |
| Lawrence Union Free School District | NY | 2,306 | $42,416 |
The other 35 on the list
Source: NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education (TCURELSC) over fall membership (V33).
Related rankings
- 01Largest school districts
By fall 2022 membership
- 02All rankings
Size, spending, equity, attendance
Questions about district spending
Which US school district spends the most per student?
Onteora Central School District in New York spent $48,608 per student in fiscal year 2022-23, the most among districts with 500 or more students (NCES F-33).What is the average per-pupil spending in the US?
$16,260 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over membership, summed over every reporting district (NCES F-33). Every district in this top-50 list spent at least $37,150.
Sources
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District current expenditures and membership · FY 2022-23