Public schools in Pennsylvania

The NCES directory lists 2,932 public schools operating in Pennsylvania in 2024-25; 2,899 of them reported 1,656,113 students, averaging 13.3 students per teacher, tied for 32nd with South Dakota and West Virginia of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is The School District of Philadelphia, with 115,754 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools2,8991,617 elementary, 513 middle, 709 high, 60 other
Students1,656,1133.4% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher13.3U.S. 15.3

Pennsylvania has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Pennsylvania ranks 32nd of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Arkansas13.5
  2. Illinois13.5
  3. Louisiana13.5
  4. Pennsylvania13.3
  5. South Dakota13.3
  6. West Virginia13.3
  7. Rhode Island13.2

Eight in ten larger Pennsylvania districts spent between $14,958 and $21,457 per student

Among the 418 Pennsylvania districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $14,958 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $21,457; the median was $17,594. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23418 values from $13,250 to $31,409; ; state median $17,594.$14,958$21,457the middle eight in ten2 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $17,594
Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23418 values from $13,250 to $31,409; ; state median $17,594.$14,958$21,457the middle eight in ten2 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $17,594
Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23418 values from $13,250 to $31,409; ; state median $17,594.$14,958$21,457the middle eight in ten2 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $17,594
Current spending per student, Pennsylvania districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23418 values from $13,250 to $31,409; ; state median $17,594.$14,958$21,457the middle eight in ten2 more above $30,000 →$10k$20k$30kcurrent spending per studentstate median $17,594

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 54.5% of the Pennsylvania students tested met the state's reading standard and 38.1% its math standard. Pennsylvania writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Pennsylvania's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 87.5% of 136,045 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Pennsylvania almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Commonwealth Charter Academy CS, 29,320 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Central PA Digital Lrng Foundation CS, 4.1 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Farrell Area SD, $39,843 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Sankofa Freedom Academy CS, $148,766 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Worrall Elementary School, 0.2% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Jenkintown Middle/High School, 71 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Shaler Area SD, 65.1 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Pennsylvania

  1. The School District of Philadelphia115,754
  2. Commonwealth Charter Academy CS29,320
  3. Pittsburgh SD19,211
  4. Central Bucks SD16,879
  5. Allentown School District16,437
  6. Reading SD16,423
  7. Hazleton Area SD13,071
  8. Downingtown Area SD13,047

Every Pennsylvania school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Philadelphia181,273 students302 schools
  2. Pittsburgh67,766 students145 schools
  3. Harrisburg57,796 students40 schools
  4. York24,990 students39 schools
  5. Lancaster21,358 students37 schools
  6. Erie21,457 students35 schools
  7. Allentown27,885 students34 schools
  8. Reading25,394 students32 schools
  9. Bethlehem15,637 students25 schools
  10. West Chester15,838 students19 schools
  11. New Castle8,564 students18 schools
  12. Mechanicsburg13,918 students18 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Pennsylvania's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Pennsylvania?
    The NCES directory lists 2,932 operating in 2024-25; 2,899 of them reported students: 1,617 elementary, 513 middle, 709 high and 60 other, enrolling 1,656,113 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Pennsylvania?
    13.3 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Pennsylvania?
    The School District of Philadelphia, with 115,754 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Pennsylvania spend per public-school student?
    $18,492 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .