K-12 Per-Pupil Spending Price History
1960–2025 · National Center for Education Statistics
Average current expenditure per pupil in U.S. public elementary and secondary schools, from 1960 to 2025. Americans spend a lot more on K-12 than they used to — $375 per student in 1960 versus over $16,000 today — but the money hasn't always translated into results. Spending flatlined during the Great Recession, barely budging between 2009 and 2013, then took off again as pandemic-era federal relief poured billions into school districts. Where all that cash actually goes (staffing, facilities, administration) is its own rabbit hole entirely.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics1960–2025
Price in 1960
$375.00
Price in 2025
$16,100.00
Total Change
+4193.3%
Years Tracked
65
K-12 Per-Pupil Spending Over Time
1960Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Per-pupil spending has gone from $375 in 1960 to $16,100 in 2025 — a 4,193% increase. Even after adjusting for inflation, real spending roughly quadrupled over that span.
- The 2009-2013 stretch was remarkably flat: spending went from $9,400 to $9,843, barely a 4.7% increase over four years. That's what happens when state budgets crater and federal stimulus dries up.
- Post-pandemic spending surged. Between 2019 and 2023, per-pupil expenditure jumped from $12,252 to $15,105 — a 23% leap in just four years, fueled by massive ESSER relief funds.
- The 1970s saw the fastest sustained growth in the dataset's history: spending more than doubled from $816 in 1970 to $1,823 in 1980, driven by new federal mandates for special education and desegregation.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per student) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $375.00 | — |
| 1961 | $393.00 | +4.8% |
| 1962 | $419.00 | +6.6% |
| 1963 | $441.00 | +5.3% |
| 1964 | $467.00 | +5.9% |
| 1965 | $497.00 | +6.4% |
| 1966 | $538.00 | +8.2% |
| 1967 | $577.00 | +7.2% |
| 1968 | $626.00 | +8.5% |
| 1969 | $684.00 | +9.3% |
| 1970 | $816.00 | +19.3% |
| 1971 | $876.00 | +7.4% |
| 1972 | $929.00 | +6.1% |
| 1973 | $989.00 | +6.5% |
| 1974 | $1,058.00 | +7.0% |
| 1975 | $1,165.00 | +10.1% |
| 1976 | $1,279.00 | +9.8% |
| 1977 | $1,384.00 | +8.2% |
| 1978 | $1,509.00 | +9.0% |
| 1979 | $1,650.00 | +9.3% |
| 1980 | $1,823.00 | +10.5% |
| 1981 | $2,022.00 | +10.9% |
| 1982 | $2,226.00 | +10.1% |
| 1983 | $2,461.00 | +10.6% |
| 1984 | $2,696.00 | +9.5% |
| 1985 | $2,941.00 | +9.1% |
| 1986 | $3,222.00 | +9.6% |
| 1987 | $3,453.00 | +7.2% |
| 1988 | $3,702.00 | +7.2% |
| 1989 | $3,964.00 | +7.1% |
| 1990 | $4,209.00 | +6.2% |
| 1991 | $4,357.00 | +3.5% |
| 1992 | $4,530.00 | +4.0% |
| 1993 | $4,643.00 | +2.5% |
| 1994 | $4,820.00 | +3.8% |
| 1995 | $5,049.00 | +4.8% |
| 1996 | $5,266.00 | +4.3% |
| 1997 | $5,534.00 | +5.1% |
| 1998 | $5,800.00 | +4.8% |
| 1999 | $6,071.00 | +4.7% |
| 2000 | $6,394.00 | +5.3% |
| 2001 | $6,749.00 | +5.6% |
| 2002 | $7,036.00 | +4.3% |
| 2003 | $7,376.00 | +4.8% |
| 2004 | $7,628.00 | +3.4% |
| 2005 | $7,913.00 | +3.7% |
| 2006 | $8,451.00 | +6.8% |
| 2007 | $8,950.00 | +5.9% |
| 2008 | $9,291.00 | +3.8% |
| 2009 | $9,400.00 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | $9,615.00 | +2.3% |
| 2011 | $9,594.00 | -0.2% |
| 2012 | $9,649.00 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | $9,843.00 | +2.0% |
| 2014 | $10,163.00 | +3.3% |
| 2015 | $10,454.00 | +2.9% |
| 2016 | $10,836.00 | +3.7% |
| 2017 | $11,222.00 | +3.6% |
| 2018 | $11,763.00 | +4.8% |
| 2019 | $12,252.00 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | $12,947.00 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | $13,494.00 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $14,243.00 | +5.6% |
| 2023 | $15,105.00 | +6.1% |
| 2024 | $15,600.00 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $16,100.00 | +3.2% |
Year1960
Price (USD per student)$375.00
YoY Change—
Year1961
Price (USD per student)$393.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year1962
Price (USD per student)$419.00
YoY Change+6.6%
Year1963
Price (USD per student)$441.00
YoY Change+5.3%
Year1964
Price (USD per student)$467.00
YoY Change+5.9%
Year1965
Price (USD per student)$497.00
YoY Change+6.4%
Year1966
Price (USD per student)$538.00
YoY Change+8.2%
Year1967
Price (USD per student)$577.00
YoY Change+7.2%
Year1968
Price (USD per student)$626.00
YoY Change+8.5%
Year1969
Price (USD per student)$684.00
YoY Change+9.3%
Year1970
Price (USD per student)$816.00
YoY Change+19.3%
Year1971
Price (USD per student)$876.00
YoY Change+7.4%
Year1972
Price (USD per student)$929.00
YoY Change+6.1%
Year1973
Price (USD per student)$989.00
YoY Change+6.5%
Year1974
Price (USD per student)$1,058.00
YoY Change+7.0%
Year1975
Price (USD per student)$1,165.00
YoY Change+10.1%
Year1976
Price (USD per student)$1,279.00
YoY Change+9.8%
Year1977
Price (USD per student)$1,384.00
YoY Change+8.2%
Year1978
Price (USD per student)$1,509.00
YoY Change+9.0%
Year1979
Price (USD per student)$1,650.00
YoY Change+9.3%
Year1980
Price (USD per student)$1,823.00
YoY Change+10.5%
Year1981
Price (USD per student)$2,022.00
YoY Change+10.9%
Year1982
Price (USD per student)$2,226.00
YoY Change+10.1%
Year1983
Price (USD per student)$2,461.00
YoY Change+10.6%
Year1984
Price (USD per student)$2,696.00
YoY Change+9.5%
Year1985
Price (USD per student)$2,941.00
YoY Change+9.1%
Year1986
Price (USD per student)$3,222.00
YoY Change+9.6%
Year1987
Price (USD per student)$3,453.00
YoY Change+7.2%
Year1988
Price (USD per student)$3,702.00
YoY Change+7.2%
Year1989
Price (USD per student)$3,964.00
YoY Change+7.1%
Year1990
Price (USD per student)$4,209.00
YoY Change+6.2%
Year1991
Price (USD per student)$4,357.00
YoY Change+3.5%
Year1992
Price (USD per student)$4,530.00
YoY Change+4.0%
Year1993
Price (USD per student)$4,643.00
YoY Change+2.5%
Year1994
Price (USD per student)$4,820.00
YoY Change+3.8%
Year1995
Price (USD per student)$5,049.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year1996
Price (USD per student)$5,266.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1997
Price (USD per student)$5,534.00
YoY Change+5.1%
Year1998
Price (USD per student)$5,800.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year1999
Price (USD per student)$6,071.00
YoY Change+4.7%
Year2000
Price (USD per student)$6,394.00
YoY Change+5.3%
Year2001
Price (USD per student)$6,749.00
YoY Change+5.6%
Year2002
Price (USD per student)$7,036.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year2003
Price (USD per student)$7,376.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year2004
Price (USD per student)$7,628.00
YoY Change+3.4%
Year2005
Price (USD per student)$7,913.00
YoY Change+3.7%
Year2006
Price (USD per student)$8,451.00
YoY Change+6.8%
Year2007
Price (USD per student)$8,950.00
YoY Change+5.9%
Year2008
Price (USD per student)$9,291.00
YoY Change+3.8%
Year2009
Price (USD per student)$9,400.00
YoY Change+1.2%
Year2010
Price (USD per student)$9,615.00
YoY Change+2.3%
Year2011
Price (USD per student)$9,594.00
YoY Change-0.2%
Year2012
Price (USD per student)$9,649.00
YoY Change+0.6%
Year2013
Price (USD per student)$9,843.00
YoY Change+2.0%
Year2014
Price (USD per student)$10,163.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year2015
Price (USD per student)$10,454.00
YoY Change+2.9%
Year2016
Price (USD per student)$10,836.00
YoY Change+3.7%
Year2017
Price (USD per student)$11,222.00
YoY Change+3.6%
Year2018
Price (USD per student)$11,763.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year2019
Price (USD per student)$12,252.00
YoY Change+4.2%
Year2020
Price (USD per student)$12,947.00
YoY Change+5.7%
Year2021
Price (USD per student)$13,494.00
YoY Change+4.2%
Year2022
Price (USD per student)$14,243.00
YoY Change+5.6%
Year2023
Price (USD per student)$15,105.00
YoY Change+6.1%
Year2024
Price (USD per student)$15,600.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year2025
Price (USD per student)$16,100.00
YoY Change+3.2%
Sources & Methodology
NCES Digest of Education Statistics, current expenditures per pupil in fall enrollment at public elementary and secondary schools. Pre-1970 estimates from Census of Governments data.
Primary source: National Center for Education Statistics
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.