ATLANTA – The U.S. Census Bureau released new preliminary data Thursday showing how much states spent on public education in the 2024 fiscal year. The early results from the Annual Survey of School System Finances reveal wide differences in per pupil spending across the country and offer the first national comparison of school revenue and expenses for the year.
Georgia spending rises to nearly $27B
What we know:
Georgia falls in the middle range of states for per student spending, ranking 18th nationally based on the preliminary numbers now available. The state spent $15,833 per student, placing it above most of the Deep South but below the national leaders.
Georgia reported $31.7 billion in total revenue and $31.0 billion in total expenditures for fiscal year 2024. Current operating spending reached $27.0 billion, while $3.7 billion went to capital projects. Another $252 million represented costs outside the major reporting categories.
The state received $3.8 billion from federal programs, $12.4 billion from state sources and $15.4 billion from local governments. The preliminary data lists Georgia’s fall enrollment at about 1.7 million students.
Inside the classroom, instruction was Georgia’s largest cost at $16.08 billion. Student support services totaled $1.74 billion, and instructional staff support added $1.55 billion. School administration cost $1.50 billion, general administration accounted for $397 million, and operation and maintenance of facilities totaled $2.15 billion. Student transportation added $1.25 billion, and food services cost $1.29 billion.
Georgia’s 2025 education spending
Local perspective:
- Instruction: $16,080,616,000
- Student support services: $1,744,349,000
- Instructional staff support: $1,551,739,000
- General administration: $397,567,000
- School administration: $1,504,906,000
- Operation and maintenance: $2,149,194,000
- Student transportation: $1,250,714,000
- Other support services: $933,598,000
- Food services: $1,290,049,000
- Per pupil spending: $15,833
- Fall enrollment: 1,705,143
- Total revenue: $31,703,886,000
- Total expenditures: $31,054,456,000
- Current spending: $27,001,844,000
- Capital outlay: $3,701,014,000
Georgia compared with the Southeast and Deep South
Dig deeper:
Georgia outpaces most of its neighbors in per pupil spending. The state’s $15,833 figure is higher than:
- Florida at $12,689
- Alabama at $13,598
- Arkansas at $13,873
The Census also shows Georgia ahead of several nearby states in the broader region, including Tennessee, Mississippi and South Carolina, although full spending values for those states were not shown in the preliminary dataset. Among large Southeastern systems, only North Carolina and Virginia tend to spend more per student in recent surveys, though their full 2024 numbers were not part of the file provided.
Georgia remains well below the national leaders. California spent $20,233 per student, and Delaware and Hawaii both topped $22,000. Northeastern states, many of which appear later in the full table, generally occupy the top tier.
Where Georgia stands nationally
By the numbers:
Georgia ranks 18th in per pupil current spending among states included in the preliminary dataset. The state sits just below Colorado and just above Kentucky and Iowa.
Georgia also ranks third in the Southeast among the states visible in the data and first among the Deep South states included.
Nationally, instruction spending places Georgia in the upper third. The state spent $16.08 billion on instruction, trailing only the largest states such as California, Florida, Texas and Pennsylvania.
The following states do not appear in the preliminary dataset: Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Per pupil current spending
(highest to lowest among reporting states)
- Vermont, $28,818
- Hawaii, $23,878
- New Hampshire, $22,978
- Delaware, $22,201
- Rhode Island, $22,110
- Pennsylvania, $21,091
- Wyoming, $20,521
- California, $20,233
- Maryland, $20,208
- Maine, $19,962
- Washington, $18,564
- Michigan, $18,314
- New Mexico, $17,844
- Ohio, $17,257
- Virginia, $17,104
- North Dakota, $17,102
- Wisconsin, $16,968
- Nebraska, $16,147
- Minnesota, $17,098
- Colorado, $15,897
- Georgia, $15,833
- South Carolina, $15,060
- Kentucky, $14,596
- Iowa, $14,369
- Missouri, $14,241
- Arkansas, $13,873
- Montana, $13,656
- Indiana, $13,622
- Alabama, $13,598
- North Carolina, $12,995
- South Dakota, $12,828
- Florida, $12,689
- Texas, $12,444
- Oklahoma, $12,162
- Arizona, $12,003
- Utah, $11,342
- Idaho, $11,056
Total instruction spending
(highest to lowest among reporting states in this table, rounded to one decimal place)
- California, $60.7 billion
- Texas, $36.4 billion
- Pennsylvania, $22.5 billion
- Florida, $21.5 billion
- Georgia, $16.0 billion
- Ohio, $15.4 billion
- Virginia, $12.6 billion
- Michigan, $12.2 billion
- Washington, $11.7 billion
- North Carolina, $11.2 billion
- Maryland, $11.1 billion
- Minnesota, $8.6 billion
- Indiana, $7.4 billion
- Wisconsin, $7.4 billion
- Colorado, $7.2 billion
- Missouri, $6.8 billion
- South Carolina, $6.4 billion
- Alabama, $5.5 billion
- Arizona, $5.6 billion
- Kentucky, $5.5 billion
- Iowa, $4.2 billion
- Oklahoma, $4.2 billion
- Arkansas, $3.5 billion
- Nebraska, $3.3 billion
- New Mexico, $2.9 billion
- Hawaii, $2.3 billion
- New Hampshire, $2.2 billion
- Maine, $2.0 billion
- Idaho, $1.9 billion
- Rhode Island, $1.7 billion
- Delaware, $1.5 billion
- Vermont, $1.4 billion
- Montana, $1.2 billion
- North Dakota, $1.2 billion
- Wyoming, $1.1 billion
- South Dakota, $1.1 billion
Note: Fiscal years vary from one school system to another, and the survey does not adjust the data to align them to a single calendar.
What’s next:
The Census Bureau said the figures provide an initial overview and may change when the final dataset is released in 2026.
The Source: The Census Bureau released the preliminary data used in this article.
