How much of school spending goes to instruction, by state

58.8% of U.S. school districts' current spending went to instruction in fiscal year 2022-23: teacher and aide pay and benefits, textbooks and classroom supplies. The share was highest in New York (65.9%) and lowest in Alaska (51.8%).

NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · dollar-weighted over districts · this page first published · data checked · method

U.S.58.8%50 states measured
Highest share65.9%New York
Lowest share51.8%Alaska
Instruction share of current spending by stateAK 52%; AL 56%; AR 55%; AZ 53%; CA 58%; CO 53%; CT 59%; DC 49%; DE 53%; FL 60%; GA 60%; HI 58%; IA 61%; ID 59%; IL 59%; IN 55%; KS 60%; KY 58%; LA 54%; MA 60%; MD 63%; ME 56%; MI 55%; MN 64%; MO 55%; MS 57%; MT 59%; NC 62%; ND 60%; NE 62%; NH 61%; NJ 59%; NM 57%; NV 58%; NY 66%; OH 59%; OK 54%; OR 56%; PA 60%; RI 55%; SC 57%; SD 58%; TN 58%; TX 58%; UT 62%; VA 59%; VT 58%; WA 58%; WI 57%; WV 57%; WY 58%AK: 52%AK52%ME: 56%ME56%WI: 57%WI57%VT: 58%VT58%NH: 61%NH61%WA: 58%WA58%ID: 59%ID59%MT: 59%MT59%ND: 60%ND60%MN: 64%MN64%IL: 59%IL59%MI: 55%MI55%NY: 66%NY66%MA: 60%MA60%OR: 56%OR56%NV: 58%NV58%WY: 58%WY58%SD: 58%SD58%IA: 61%IA61%IN: 55%IN55%OH: 59%OH59%PA: 60%PA60%NJ: 59%NJ59%CT: 59%CT59%RI: 55%RI55%CA: 58%CA58%UT: 62%UT62%CO: 53%CO53%NE: 62%NE62%MO: 55%MO55%KY: 58%KY58%WV: 57%WV57%VA: 59%VA59%MD: 63%MD63%DE: 53%DE53%AZ: 53%AZ53%NM: 57%NM57%KS: 60%KS60%AR: 55%AR55%TN: 58%TN58%NC: 62%NC62%SC: 57%SC57%DC: 49%DC49%OK: 54%OK54%LA: 54%LA54%MS: 57%MS57%AL: 56%AL56%GA: 60%GA60%HI: 58%HI58%TX: 58%TX58%FL: 60%FL60%
Instruction share of current spending by stateAK 52%; AL 56%; AR 55%; AZ 53%; CA 58%; CO 53%; CT 59%; DC 49%; DE 53%; FL 60%; GA 60%; HI 58%; IA 61%; ID 59%; IL 59%; IN 55%; KS 60%; KY 58%; LA 54%; MA 60%; MD 63%; ME 56%; MI 55%; MN 64%; MO 55%; MS 57%; MT 59%; NC 62%; ND 60%; NE 62%; NH 61%; NJ 59%; NM 57%; NV 58%; NY 66%; OH 59%; OK 54%; OR 56%; PA 60%; RI 55%; SC 57%; SD 58%; TN 58%; TX 58%; UT 62%; VA 59%; VT 58%; WA 58%; WI 57%; WV 57%; WY 58%AK: 52%AK52%ME: 56%ME56%WI: 57%WI57%VT: 58%VT58%NH: 61%NH61%WA: 58%WA58%ID: 59%ID59%MT: 59%MT59%ND: 60%ND60%MN: 64%MN64%IL: 59%IL59%MI: 55%MI55%NY: 66%NY66%MA: 60%MA60%OR: 56%OR56%NV: 58%NV58%WY: 58%WY58%SD: 58%SD58%IA: 61%IA61%IN: 55%IN55%OH: 59%OH59%PA: 60%PA60%NJ: 59%NJ59%CT: 59%CT59%RI: 55%RI55%CA: 58%CA58%UT: 62%UT62%CO: 53%CO53%NE: 62%NE62%MO: 55%MO55%KY: 58%KY58%WV: 57%WV57%VA: 59%VA59%MD: 63%MD63%DE: 53%DE53%AZ: 53%AZ53%NM: 57%NM57%KS: 60%KS60%AR: 55%AR55%TN: 58%TN58%NC: 62%NC62%SC: 57%SC57%DC: 49%DC49%OK: 54%OK54%LA: 54%LA54%MS: 57%MS57%AL: 56%AL56%GA: 60%GA60%HI: 58%HI58%TX: 58%TX58%FL: 60%FL60%
Instruction share of current spending by stateAK 52%; AL 56%; AR 55%; AZ 53%; CA 58%; CO 53%; CT 59%; DC 49%; DE 53%; FL 60%; GA 60%; HI 58%; IA 61%; ID 59%; IL 59%; IN 55%; KS 60%; KY 58%; LA 54%; MA 60%; MD 63%; ME 56%; MI 55%; MN 64%; MO 55%; MS 57%; MT 59%; NC 62%; ND 60%; NE 62%; NH 61%; NJ 59%; NM 57%; NV 58%; NY 66%; OH 59%; OK 54%; OR 56%; PA 60%; RI 55%; SC 57%; SD 58%; TN 58%; TX 58%; UT 62%; VA 59%; VT 58%; WA 58%; WI 57%; WV 57%; WY 58%AK: 52%AKME: 56%MEWI: 57%WIVT: 58%VTNH: 61%NHWA: 58%WAID: 59%IDMT: 59%MTND: 60%NDMN: 64%MNIL: 59%ILMI: 55%MINY: 66%NYMA: 60%MAOR: 56%ORNV: 58%NVWY: 58%WYSD: 58%SDIA: 61%IAIN: 55%INOH: 59%OHPA: 60%PANJ: 59%NJCT: 59%CTRI: 55%RICA: 58%CAUT: 62%UTCO: 53%CONE: 62%NEMO: 55%MOKY: 58%KYWV: 57%WVVA: 59%VAMD: 63%MDDE: 53%DEAZ: 53%AZNM: 57%NMKS: 60%KSAR: 55%ARTN: 58%TNNC: 62%NCSC: 57%SCDC: 49%DCOK: 54%OKLA: 54%LAMS: 57%MSAL: 56%ALGA: 60%GAHI: 58%HITX: 58%TXFL: 60%FL
Instruction share of current spending by stateAK 52%; AL 56%; AR 55%; AZ 53%; CA 58%; CO 53%; CT 59%; DC 49%; DE 53%; FL 60%; GA 60%; HI 58%; IA 61%; ID 59%; IL 59%; IN 55%; KS 60%; KY 58%; LA 54%; MA 60%; MD 63%; ME 56%; MI 55%; MN 64%; MO 55%; MS 57%; MT 59%; NC 62%; ND 60%; NE 62%; NH 61%; NJ 59%; NM 57%; NV 58%; NY 66%; OH 59%; OK 54%; OR 56%; PA 60%; RI 55%; SC 57%; SD 58%; TN 58%; TX 58%; UT 62%; VA 59%; VT 58%; WA 58%; WI 57%; WV 57%; WY 58%AK: 52%AKME: 56%MEWI: 57%WIVT: 58%VTNH: 61%NHWA: 58%WAID: 59%IDMT: 59%MTND: 60%NDMN: 64%MNIL: 59%ILMI: 55%MINY: 66%NYMA: 60%MAOR: 56%ORNV: 58%NVWY: 58%WYSD: 58%SDIA: 61%IAIN: 55%INOH: 59%OHPA: 60%PANJ: 59%NJCT: 59%CTRI: 55%RICA: 58%CAUT: 62%UTCO: 53%CONE: 62%NEMO: 55%MOKY: 58%KYWV: 57%WVVA: 59%VAMD: 63%MDDE: 53%DEAZ: 53%AZNM: 57%NMKS: 60%KSAR: 55%ARTN: 58%TNNC: 62%NCSC: 57%SCDC: 49%DCOK: 54%OKLA: 54%LAMS: 57%MSAL: 56%ALGA: 60%GAHI: 58%HITX: 58%TXFL: 60%FL

Instruction share of current spending

  • 49.0% to under 55.3%
  • 55.3% to under 57.6%
  • 57.6% to under 58.7%
  • 58.7% to under 59.8%
  • 59.8% and up

D.C. is one city system, so it is in the table but not ranked among the 50 states.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: instruction and current expenditures by district.

Highest share: the top ten

Instruction share of current spending, highest ten statesNew York 65.9%; Minnesota 63.6%; Maryland 63.1%; Utah 62.4%; Nebraska 62.1%; North Carolina 62.0%; New Hampshire 61.1%; Iowa 61.0%; Massachusetts 60.3%; Pennsylvania 60.1%; U.S. 58.8%.40506070New York65.9%Minnesota63.6%Maryland63.1%Utah62.4%Nebraska62.1%North Carolina62.0%New Hampshire61.1%Iowa61.0%Massachusetts60.3%Pennsylvania60.1%U.S. 58.8%
Instruction share of current spending, highest ten statesNew York 65.9%; Minnesota 63.6%; Maryland 63.1%; Utah 62.4%; Nebraska 62.1%; North Carolina 62.0%; New Hampshire 61.1%; Iowa 61.0%; Massachusetts 60.3%; Pennsylvania 60.1%; U.S. 58.8%.40506070New York65.9%Minnesota63.6%Maryland63.1%Utah62.4%Nebraska62.1%North Carolina62.0%New Hampshire61.1%Iowa61.0%Massachusetts60.3%Pennsylvania60.1%U.S. 58.8%
Instruction share of current spending, highest ten statesNew York 65.9%; Minnesota 63.6%; Maryland 63.1%; Utah 62.4%; Nebraska 62.1%; North Carolina 62.0%; New Hampshire 61.1%; Iowa 61.0%; Massachusetts 60.3%; Pennsylvania 60.1%; U.S. 58.8%.40506070New York65.9%Minnesota63.6%Maryland63.1%Utah62.4%Nebraska62.1%North Carolina62.0%New Hampshire61.1%Iowa61.0%Massachusetts60.3%Pennsylvania60.1%U.S. 58.8%
Instruction share of current spending, highest ten statesNew York 65.9%; Minnesota 63.6%; Maryland 63.1%; Utah 62.4%; Nebraska 62.1%; North Carolina 62.0%; New Hampshire 61.1%; Iowa 61.0%; Massachusetts 60.3%; Pennsylvania 60.1%; U.S. 58.8%.40506070New York65.9%Minnesota63.6%Maryland63.1%Utah62.4%Nebraska62.1%North Carolina62.0%New Hampshire61.1%Iowa61.0%Massachusetts60.3%Pennsylvania60.1%U.S. 58.8%

Lowest share: the bottom ten

Instruction share of current spending, lowest ten statesAlaska 51.8%; Arizona 53.1%; Delaware 53.4%; Colorado 53.4%; Oklahoma 53.5%; Louisiana 54.0%; Arkansas 54.9%; Indiana 55.0%; Missouri 55.1%; Michigan 55.3%; U.S. 58.8%.4045505560Alaska51.8%Arizona53.1%Delaware53.4%Colorado53.4%Oklahoma53.5%Louisiana54.0%Arkansas54.9%Indiana55.0%Missouri55.1%Michigan55.3%U.S. 58.8%
Instruction share of current spending, lowest ten statesAlaska 51.8%; Arizona 53.1%; Delaware 53.4%; Colorado 53.4%; Oklahoma 53.5%; Louisiana 54.0%; Arkansas 54.9%; Indiana 55.0%; Missouri 55.1%; Michigan 55.3%; U.S. 58.8%.4045505560Alaska51.8%Arizona53.1%Delaware53.4%Colorado53.4%Oklahoma53.5%Louisiana54.0%Arkansas54.9%Indiana55.0%Missouri55.1%Michigan55.3%U.S. 58.8%
Instruction share of current spending, lowest ten statesAlaska 51.8%; Arizona 53.1%; Delaware 53.4%; Colorado 53.4%; Oklahoma 53.5%; Louisiana 54.0%; Arkansas 54.9%; Indiana 55.0%; Missouri 55.1%; Michigan 55.3%; U.S. 58.8%.405060Alaska51.8%Arizona53.1%Delaware53.4%Colorado53.4%Oklahoma53.5%Louisiana54.0%Arkansas54.9%Indiana55.0%Missouri55.1%Michigan55.3%U.S. 58.8%
Instruction share of current spending, lowest ten statesAlaska 51.8%; Arizona 53.1%; Delaware 53.4%; Colorado 53.4%; Oklahoma 53.5%; Louisiana 54.0%; Arkansas 54.9%; Indiana 55.0%; Missouri 55.1%; Michigan 55.3%; U.S. 58.8%.405060Alaska51.8%Arizona53.1%Delaware53.4%Colorado53.4%Oklahoma53.5%Louisiana54.0%Arkansas54.9%Indiana55.0%Missouri55.1%Michigan55.3%U.S. 58.8%

The question and the method

Every education dollar a district spends is split across instruction, support services (counseling, administration, transportation, operations) and capital projects. Across the 51 state systems with enough reporting students, what share of current (non-capital) spending reaches instruction?

Instruction expenditures over current expenditures, each summed over the state's reporting districts (a dollar-weighted aggregate, not an average of district ratios); states need 20,000 students.

Limits. Instruction, by the NCES definition, covers teacher and aide salaries and benefits, textbooks and instructional supplies. It leaves out student support such as counseling, health services and transportation, which NCES counts as support services, so a lower instruction share is not automatically worse: a rural state that buses students far spends more on transportation.

Every state

All 51 as a table
StateRankInstruction share of current spendingDistricts
New York165.9%998
Minnesota263.6%540
Maryland363.1%24
Utah462.4%156
Nebraska562.1%246
North Carolina662.0%328
New Hampshire761.1%162
Iowa861.0%327
Massachusetts960.3%396
Pennsylvania1060.1%764
Kansas1159.8%288
Florida1259.7%67
North Dakota1359.7%168
Georgia1459.6%220
New Jersey1559.2%668
Idaho1659.1%181
Ohio1759.1%983
Illinois1859.0%845
Montana1958.9%396
Connecticut2058.7%197
Virginia2158.7%131
Kentucky2258.3%171
Tennessee2358.3%143
Texas2458.3%1,208
Vermont2558.3%113
Wyoming2658.3%48
California2758.1%1,939
Washington2858.1%318
Hawaii2957.8%1
South Dakota3057.7%149
Nevada3157.6%19
New Mexico3257.3%143
West Virginia3357.2%57
Mississippi3456.9%148
South Carolina3556.5%75
Wisconsin3656.5%423
Alabama3755.9%147
Oregon3855.9%202
Maine3955.8%231
Rhode Island4055.4%62
Michigan4155.3%871
Missouri4255.1%553
Indiana4355.0%407
Arkansas4454.9%256
Louisiana4554.0%189
Oklahoma4653.5%540
Colorado4753.4%184
Delaware4853.4%42
Arizona4953.1%642
Alaska5051.8%54
District of Columbianot ranked49.0%64

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: instruction and current expenditures by district.

Related research

  1. 01Per-pupil spending by state

    F-33 2022-23

  2. 02Federal funding share by state

    F-33 2022-23

  3. 03All research

    Every study

Sources

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District expenditures by function · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .