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Public schools by city

The primary public district serving each metro — how many students it teaches, how many teachers it employs and what it spends per pupil. NCES 2021-22 enrollment, Census FY2020 finance.

Quick answer

Across 94 metros, New Orleans spends the most per pupil at $120,035 and Knoxville the least at $10,337. Spending reflects local property wealth, state aid formulas and cost of living, not school quality on its own.

Every covered metro

Sorted by spending per pupil, highest first.

CityDistrictStudentsStudents/teacherPer pupil
New Orleans, LAOrleans Parish2,04014.6$120,035
Boston, MABoston46,36710.8$39,887
New York City, NYNyc Chancellor'S Office912,994—$37,461
Pittsburgh, PAPittsburgh SD20,03411.1$33,512
Newark, NJNewark Public School District41,67214.6$32,694
Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia City SD118,33514.5$31,422
Hartford, CTHartford School District16,77413$31,215
Burlington, VTBurlington School District3,50011.2$29,530
Jersey City, NJJersey City Public Schools26,64712.7$28,991
Cleveland, OHCleveland Municipal33,99815.5$26,845
Austin, TXAustin Isd73,38416.6$26,732
Portland, ORPortland SD 1J44,74016.3$24,533
Providence, RIProvidence20,72513.7$23,640
Indianapolis, INIndianapolis Public Schools22,02714.6$23,630
San Diego, CASan Diego Unified93,89321.9$22,937
Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis Public School District29,20515.4$22,524
San Francisco, CASan Francisco Unified48,78521.1$22,418
Juneau, AKJuneau Borough School District4,33816$22,324
St. Paul, MNSaint Paul Public Schools32,31614.4$22,154
Chicago, ILCity of Chicago SD 299321,66614$21,914
Toledo, OHToledo City21,81414.4$21,839
Oakland, CAOakland Unified34,14918.9$21,806
Spokane, WASpokane School District28,71413.9$21,530
Portland, MEPortland Public Schools6,47610.6$21,508
Los Angeles, CALos Angeles Unified427,79519.7$21,493
Bridgeport, CTBridgeport School District19,33713.4$21,190
Columbus, OHColumbus City Schools District45,33814.9$20,819
Cincinnati, OHCincinnati Public Schools35,58516.7$20,765
Baltimore, MDBaltimore City Public Schools75,99515.2$20,673
Seattle, WASeattle School District No. 151,23816.2$20,647
Atlanta, GAAtlanta Public Schools50,32512.6$20,413
Charleston, SCCharleston 0149,92913.2$20,379
Wilmington, DERed Clay Consolidated School District14,77113.5$20,253
Cheyenne, WYLaramie County School District #113,82113.6$19,189
Fargo, NDFargo 111,43112.1$19,183
Anchorage, AKAnchorage School District43,72718$19,178
Omaha, NEOmaha Public Schools51,75416.2$19,083
Denver, COSchool District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C87,88314.8$17,893
Detroit, MIDetroit Public Schools Community District48,54816.1$17,882
Anaheim, CAAnaheim Union High27,74820.6$17,737
Honolulu, HIHawaii Department of Education170,20914.2$17,656
Sacramento, CASacramento City Unified38,82122.7$17,638
San Antonio, TXSan Antonio Isd45,25514.7$17,559
Milwaukee, WIMilwaukee School District67,50016.7$17,506
Fresno, CAFresno Unified69,66819.9$17,402
Aurora, COAurora Joint District No. 28 of the counties of Adams and A38,13516.2$17,399
Kansas City, MOKansas City 3314,41312.4$17,323
El Paso, TXEl Paso Isd50,03114.3$17,317
Charleston, WVKanawha County Schools23,86414.5$17,076
Long Beach, CALong Beach Unified65,55424$16,766
Louisville, KYJefferson County95,23015.7$16,716
Dallas, TXDallas Isd141,16914.2$16,695
Riverside, CARiverside Unified39,42523.7$16,676
Fort Worth, TXFort Worth Isd72,78314.8$16,504
Des Moines, IADes Moines Independent Comm School District30,73914.8$16,187
Baton Rouge, LAEast Baton Rouge Parish43,25318$16,087
Bakersfield, CABakersfield City28,83521.6$16,075
Little Rock, ARLittle Rock School District21,45615.1$15,475
San Jose, CASan Jose Unified25,45122.4$15,205
Wichita, KSWichita46,79610.5$15,153
Manchester, NHManchester School District12,10511.7$15,136
Nashville, TNDavidson County80,65116.2$15,097
Richmond, VARichmond City Public Schools21,13010.9$15,004
Phoenix, AZPhoenix Union High School District (4286)27,90019.3$14,791
Charlotte, NCCharlotte-Mecklenburg Schools144,19716.6$14,569
Albuquerque, NMAlbuquerque Public Schools79,80513.8$14,476
Virginia Beach, VAVirginia Beach City Public Schools65,45614$14,268
Reno, NVWashoe County School District64,99020.2$14,143
Oklahoma City, OKOklahoma City33,24515.2$13,969
Tulsa, OKTulsa33,87119.7$13,909
Colorado Springs, COColorado Springs School District No. 11 in the county of E22,72515.8$13,862
Arlington, TXArlington Isd56,16714.6$13,733
Billings, MTBillings Elem10,98815.1$13,341
Jackson, MSJackson Public School District18,71012.7$13,326
Houston, TXHouston Isd189,93417.3$13,304
Sioux Falls, SDSioux Falls School District 49-525,12314.9$13,249
Orlando, FLOrange207,56118.2$13,197
Birmingham, ALBirmingham City21,13019$13,068
Boise, IDBoise Independent District22,80915.7$12,928
St. Petersburg, FLPinellas93,70216.1$12,820
Memphis, TNMemphis-Shelby County Schools109,79715.9$12,482
Miami, FLMiami-Dade334,09020.1$12,440
Las Vegas, NVClark County School District314,34620.3$12,103
Henderson, NVClark County School District314,34620.3$12,103
Mesa, AZMesa Unified District (4235)58,34316.4$12,004
Raleigh, NCWake County Schools159,77815$11,914
Greensboro, NCGuilford County Schools68,89415.2$11,714
Chattanooga, TNHamilton County45,90215.1$11,709
Chandler, AZChandler Unified District #80 (4242)43,71618.1$11,491
Salt Lake City, UTGranite District61,19722.3$11,409
Tucson, AZTucson Unified District (4403)41,51114.7$11,143
Tampa, FLHillsborough224,53818.1$11,103
Jacksonville, FLDuval128,65718.3$10,682
Knoxville, TNKnox County60,60914.7$10,337

Source: NCES Common Core of Data + Census F-33, via Urban Institute Education Data · rates as published for 2021-22 / FY2020