New York once again tops the 50-state (plus D.C.) rankings of per-pupil spending in the latest U.S. Census Bureau data on public school finances.
As of 2012, public schools in the Empire State spent $19,552 per pupil—84 percent above the U.S. average, according to the latest annual Census Bureau report, which was released today.
The gap between New York and the rest of the U.S. has increased significantly during the latest six years for which the Census Bureau has compiled these statistics. As of 2005-06, New York’s per pupil spending was 63 percent above average.
New York’s high spending was driven overwhelmingly by instructional salaries and benefits — which, at $13,582 per pupil, were 111 percent above the national average. In the category of “support services,” including central and school administration, New York ranked seventh with spending of $5,549 per pupil. That was 49 percent above the national average—but if New York had only spent the national average in the support category, it would still have had the highest total per-pupil spending in the country.
Below is the 50-state table. Note: we not only spend far above the national average, we spend considerably more than neighboring northeastern states, which have similarly high-spending traditions (and powerful public education lobbies).
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