State profile · MN

Minnesota Public Schools

Every public school, district, and the headline NCES measures for Minnesota — 543 districts, drawn straight from federal records.

2,391
Schools
872,336
Students
15.9:1
Avg ratio
42.8%
Free lunch

The state in one line

Minnesota runs 2,391 public schools across 543 districts, with a 15.9:1 average classroom and 42.8% of students on subsidized lunch.

2,391
public schools
543
school districts
15.9:1
avg student–teacher
42.8%
free/reduced lunch

How Minnesota ranks nationally

Per-pupil spending

$15,270

#28 of 51 · highest-spending

Average class size

15.9:1

#34 of 51 · smallest classes

Public schools

2,391

#12 of 51 · most schools

On subsidized lunch

42.8%

#25 of 43 · highest share

Minnesota ranks #28 of 51 nationally on per-pupil spending and #34 of 51 on average class size, derived live by comparing it against every other state. Ranked among all 50 states + DC from NCES enrollment/staffing and the F-33 finance survey. Lunch share is an indicator of student need, not of quality.

What the NCES Data Says About Minnesota Schools

Minnesota operates 2,391 public K-12 schools organised into 543 independent school districts serving 872,336 students, per the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data 2024-25. The largest district, Anoka-Hennepin School District, enrolls 38,590 pupils across 52 schools at $14,265 per student, while smaller rural districts can run fewer than a dozen campuses. This fragmentation — inherited from century-old township governance patterns in many states — is why per-pupil spending, class sizes, and programme availability vary dramatically inside a single state boundary.

Statewide, the average student-teacher ratio is 15.9:1, a useful benchmark for comparing any individual district or school on PlainSchools. Free-lunch eligibility averages 42.8% across Minnesota public schools, a federal indicator of economic need that drives Title I funding allocations. The district table below is sortable by enrollment, school count, and per-pupil expenditure — the three fields that best predict a district's financial and demographic profile. For schools specifically, use the rankings links above to view per-category leaderboards covering spending, class size, best schools by composite quality score, chronic absenteeism, and funding-equity distribution within the state.

Every district figure here pulls from two distinct federal surveys: enrollment and demographic data come from the NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (school membership and directory), while per-pupil spending, teacher salaries, and federal/state/local revenue shares originate in the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey (typically FY 2021-22). Civil-rights indicators — gifted enrollment, AP course counts, counselor staffing, chronic absenteeism, in- and out-of-school suspensions — come from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Cross-referencing these three sources is what lets PlainSchools produce composite scores and equity rankings that single-source tools cannot.

Minnesota's average class size vs. every US state

Average students per teacher, state by state (lower means smaller classes)

16 smaller classes than 33% of 51 US states

11–12: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 12–13: 4 US states (8%). Below this entry. 13–14: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 14–15: 10 US states (20%). Below this entry. 15–16: 5 US states (10%). This entry sits in this band. 16–17: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 17–18: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 18–19: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 20–21: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 21–22: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 22–23: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 23–24: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. This state 11 24 every US state, by average class size, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

Or browse all Minnesota schools

Federal data — no proprietary formula. PlainSchools publishes the actual federal survey data — enrollment, staffing, finance, and demographics from NCES — without a composite rating on top. The insights below are computed directly from those datasets; every number traces to a cited source.

Minnesota per-pupil spending varies 8.2× across districts

Per-pupil spending in Minnesota ranges from $8,483 (lowest district) to $69,540 (highest), a spread of $61,057. That ratio is among the widest in the country and predicts large gaps in class size, programme availability, and counselor:student ratios that compound across a 12-year K-12 career. High-spending districts typically draw on higher property tax bases, a structural feature of state education finance under the federal Title I framework that sets the floor but not the ceiling.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Local Education Agency Finance Survey (F-33) · FY 2021-22

Minnesota operates 543 school districts — among the most fragmented K-12 governance structures in the country

Each district has independent budgeting, hiring, and curriculum authority. The fragmentation predates modern county-level consolidation efforts and reflects 19th-century township governance patterns — a feature of states that organised public schooling around small civic units rather than centralised state systems. Per-pupil spending and accountability variations are largest in fragmented states because each district sets its own tax rate, contracts, and programme mix without state-level coordination above the regulatory floor.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Universe · 2024-25

Average Minnesota student-teacher ratio is 15.9:1 — near the U.S. average of approximately 16:1

Student-teacher ratio is the simplest staffing metric reported on NCES Common Core of Data, but it does not capture push-in specialists, intervention staff, English Language Learner aides, special education co-teachers, or counseling and support staff. Variation between districts within the state is wider than the state-average figure suggests — large urban districts may run 20:1 while small rural districts run 10:1, both inside the same average. Class-load comparisons are most meaningful at the district or school level, not the state aggregate.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe School-level enrollment and staffing · 2024-25

School Spending

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Schools ranked by per-pupil expenditure

District Spending

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Districts ranked by per-pupil expenditure

Largest Schools

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Schools ranked by student enrollment

Funding Equity

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Districts ranked by funding equity score

Best Student-Teacher Ratios

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Schools with the smallest class sizes

Best Schools

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Top-rated schools by quality score

Best Districts

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Top-ranked districts by quality score

Chronic Absenteeism

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Schools ranked by absenteeism rates

Largest districts in Minnesota

By total K-12 enrollment — NCES Common Core 2024-25

Diverse district mix
Anoka-Hennepin School District38,590Saint Paul Public Schools32,316Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan29,221Minneapolis Public School Dist…29,205Osseo Public School District20,737South Washington County Schools19,159Rochester Public School District17,492Elk River Public School District14,152Wayzata Public School District12,318Lakeville Area Schools11,819
# District Enrollment
1 Anoka-Hennepin School District Anoka 38,590
2 Saint Paul Public Schools Saint Paul 32,316
3 Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Rosemount 29,221
4 Minneapolis Public School District Minneapolis 29,205
5 Osseo Public School District Maple Grove 20,737
6 South Washington County Schools Cottage Grove 19,159
7 Rochester Public School District Rochester 17,492
8 Elk River Public School District Elk River 14,152
9 Wayzata Public School District Plymouth 12,318
10 Lakeville Area Schools Lakeville 11,819
11 Mounds View Public School District Shoreview 11,792
12 Minnetonka Public School District Minnetonka 11,248
13 Robbinsdale Public School District New Hope 11,010
14 North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale Maplewood 10,368
15 Bloomington Public School District Bloomington 10,361
16 Eastern Carver County Public School Chaska 9,320
17 St. Cloud Public School District Waite Park 9,286
18 Eden Prairie Public School District Eden Prairie 8,939
19 Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Prior Lake 8,788
20 Edina Public School District Edina 8,610
Show the next 80 districts
# District Enrollment
21 Duluth Public School District Duluth 8,554
22 White Bear Lake School District White Bear Lake 8,543
23 Mankato Public School District Mankato 8,398
24 Stillwater Area Public Schools Stillwater 8,285
25 Shakopee Public School District Shakopee 7,867
26 Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Schools Burnsville 7,822
27 Moorhead Area Public Schools Moorhead 7,412
28 Roseville Public School District Roseville 7,356
29 Hopkins Public School District Hopkins 6,833
30 Farmington Public School District Farmington 6,800
31 Centennial Public School District Circle Pines 6,764
32 St. Michael-Albertville Schools Albertville 6,670
33 Brainerd Public School District Brainerd 6,232
34 Spring Lake Park Public Schools Spring Lake Park 6,143
35 Forest Lake Public School District Forest Lake 5,855
36 Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools Buffalo 5,313
37 Austin Public School District Austin 5,120
38 West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Mendota Heights 5,116
39 Cambridge-Isanti Public School Dist Cambridge 5,062
40 Owatonna Public School District Owatonna 4,926
41 Minnesota Transitions Charter Sch Minneapolis 4,879
42 Bemidji Public School District Bemidji 4,836
43 St. Louis Park Public School Dist. Saint Louis Park 4,509
44 Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools Sauk Rapids 4,423
45 St. Francis Area Schools Saint Francis 4,312
46 Willmar Public School District Willmar 4,279
47 New Prague Area Schools New Prague 4,146
48 Monticello Public School District Monticello 4,142
49 Richfield Public School District Richfield 4,139
50 Hastings Public School District Hastings 4,116
51 Sartell-St. Stephen School District Sartell 4,098
52 Alexandria Public School District Alexandria 4,046
53 Waconia Public School District Waconia 4,045
54 Grand Rapids Public School District Grand Rapids 4,023
55 Northfield Public School District Northfield 3,857
56 Albert Lea Public School District Albert Lea 3,460
57 Inver Grove Heights Schools Inver Grove Heights 3,441
58 Chisago Lakes School District Chisago City 3,378
59 Worthington Public School District Worthington 3,343
60 Princeton Public School District Princeton 3,342
61 Faribault Public School District Faribault 3,312
62 Columbia Heights Public School Dist Columbia Heights 3,281
63 Big Lake Public School District Big Lake 3,204
64 Mahtomedi Public School District Mahtomedi 3,176
65 South St. Paul Public School Dist South Saint Paul 3,048
66 Fergus Falls Public School District Fergus Falls 2,938
67 Orono Public School District Long Lake 2,887
68 Becker Public School District Becker 2,863
69 Fridley Public School District Fridley 2,788
70 Detroit Lakes Public School Dist. Detroit Lakes 2,775
71 Hutchinson Public School District Hutchinson 2,765
72 Marshall Public School District Marshall 2,723
73 Cloquet Public School District Cloquet 2,641
74 North Branch Area Public Schools North Branch 2,641
75 Little Falls Community Schools Little Falls 2,466
76 Winona Area Public School District Winona 2,455
77 Delano Public School District Delano 2,448
78 Westonka Public School District Minnetrista 2,438
79 Hmong College Prep Academy Saint Paul 2,406
80 Rock Ridge Public Schools Virginia 2,406
81 Rocori Public School District Cold Spring 2,387
82 Red Wing Public School District Red Wing 2,335
83 Byron Public School District Byron 2,286
84 Kasson-Mantorville School District Kasson 2,163
85 New Ulm Public School District New Ulm 2,162
86 Hermantown Community Schools Hermantown 2,138
87 Brooklyn Center School District Brooklyn Center 2,124
88 Hibbing Public School District Hibbing 2,123
89 Houston Public School District Houston 2,115
90 Dassel-Cokato Public Schools Cokato 2,100
91 St. Peter Public School District Saint Peter 2,090
92 Stewartville Public School District Stewartville 2,055
93 Annandale Public School District Annandale 2,049
94 Tri-City United School District Montgomery 1,960
95 St. Louis County School District Virginia 1,954
96 Foley Public School District Foley 1,925
97 Proctor Public School District Proctor 1,898
98 East Grand Forks Public Schools East Grand Forks 1,889
99 Jordan Public School District Jordan 1,845
100 St. Anthony-New Brighton Schools Saint Anthony 1,830

Top 100 of 543 districts by enrollment. Browse all districts →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 Local Education Agency Universe Federal universe survey of all U.S. school districts

Largest Schools in Minnesota

Wayzata High
Plymouth — high
3,781
students
Minnesota Connections Academy 7-12
Saint Paul — other
3,536
students
Minnetonka Senior High
Minnetonka — high
3,514
students
Blaine High School
Blaine — high
3,157
students
Champlin Park High School
Champlin — high
2,978
students
Prior Lake High School
Savage — high
2,856
students
Eden Prairie Senior High
Eden Prairie — high
2,844
students
Shakopee High School
Shakopee — high
2,823
students
Stillwater Area High School
Stillwater — high
2,658
students
Edina Senior High
Edina — high
2,641
students

Other States

Maryland
MD public schools
Massachusetts
MA public schools
Michigan
MI public schools
Mississippi
MS public schools
Missouri
MO public schools
Montana
MT public schools

Side-by-side: Compare Anoka-Hennepin School District vs Saint Paul Public Schools → · Compare any two districts

Data sourced from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25, NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Using the Minnesota data

Minnesota's 2,391 schools sit inside 543 districts — compare at the district level first.

  • District boundaries decide enrollment: shortlist 2-3 districts on spending, ratio, and size before comparing individual schools. Compare districts
  • Check how Minnesota distributes money across its districts — funding equity varies more within states than between them. Funding equity
  • Verify any school's federal record (enrollment, staffing, CRDC flags) before a visit or enrollment decision. Look up a school

Figures are the federal record (CCD 2024-25, F-33 FY 2021-22, CRDC 2021-22) — they lag the current school year and describe reported data, not school quality. PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public schools are in Minnesota?

Minnesota has 2,391 public schools across 543 school districts, serving 872,336 students.

What is the average student-teacher ratio in Minnesota?

The average student-teacher ratio in Minnesota public schools is 15.9:1. This varies by district — use the district table below to compare.

What percentage of Minnesota students qualify for free lunch?

42.8% of students in Minnesota qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator of economic need used for Title I funding.

What is the largest school district in Minnesota?

The largest school district in Minnesota is Anoka-Hennepin School District with 38,590 students across 52 schools.

Why does per-pupil spending vary so much across Minnesota districts?

Minnesota districts spend between $8,483 and $69,540 per pupil — a 8.2× range. Most U.S. states fund schools through a mix of state aid (typically 40-60%), local property tax (30-50%), and federal Title I (5-15%). Districts in higher property-value areas raise more per pupil from local taxes, while state aid is intended to partially equalise but rarely closes the full gap. The federal F-33 finance survey reports actual current expenditures including instructional and support services.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Top schools in Minnesota by enrollment

Largest K-12 public schools by total students enrolled

students

What this shows The largest public schools in Minnesota by enrollment — often statewide virtual academies or large consolidated campuses, so size here reflects reach, not quality.

Source NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) As of 2024-25

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) — Public school universe · 2023-2024 Public K-12 school enrollment, demographics, and operational data; collected annually by NCES from state education agencies.