June 30, 2005
East Coast States Tops in Per-Pupil Spending
In fiscal year 2002, the United States as a whole averaged $7,701 in per-pupil spending on elementary and secondary education, according to data from the 2002 Census of Governments. Nonetheless, states varied greatly in their amounts. Of the top 20 states in per-pupil spending, 15 were in the East (actually the District of Columbia, treated as a state in the rankings, and 14 states). All the New England States were in the top 20. Along with DC, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts comprise the top five. The information can be found in the Public Education Finances report of the 2002 Census of Governments, one of several reports on the finances and employment of the nation's governments. Table 11 in this report shows the rankings. The PDF reports are available free on the Internet or can be purchased in print from the Customer Services Center at 301-763-INFO (4636). In addition, you can find extensive downloadable data on the "Governments" pages of the Census Bureau web site.
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