Georgia outspends Deep South neighbors in classrooms, Census data shows

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)

1. Vermont, $28,818
2. Hawaii, $23,878
3. New Hampshire, $22,978
4. Delaware, $22,201
5. Rhode Island, $22,110
6. Pennsylvania, $21,091
7. Wyoming, $20,521
8. California, $20,233
9. Maryland, $20,208
10. Maine, $19,962
11. Washington, $18,564
12. Michigan, $18,314
13. New Mexico, $17,844
14. Ohio, $17,257
15. Virginia, $17,104
16. North Dakota, $17,102
17. Wisconsin, $16,968
18. Nebraska, $16,147
19. Minnesota, $17,098
20. Colorado, $15,897
21. Georgia, $15,833
22. South Carolina, $15,060
23. Kentucky, $14,596
24. Iowa, $14,369
25. Missouri, $14,241
26. Arkansas, $13,873
27. Montana, $13,656
28. Indiana, $13,622
29. Alabama, $13,598
30. North Carolina, $12,995
31. South Dakota, $12,828
32. Florida, $12,689
33. Texas, $12,444
34. Oklahoma, $12,162
35. Arizona, $12,003
36. Utah, $11,342
37. Idaho, $11,056

Total instruction spending

(highest to lowest among reporting states in this table, rounded to one decimal place)

1. California, $60.7 billion
2. Texas, $36.4 billion
3. Pennsylvania, $22.5 billion
4. Florida, $21.5 billion
5. Georgia, $16.0 billion
6. Ohio, $15.4 billion
7. Virginia, $12.6 billion
8. Michigan, $12.2 billion
9. Washington, $11.7 billion
10. North Carolina, $11.2 billion
11. Maryland, $11.1 billion
12. Minnesota, $8.6 billion
13. Indiana, $7.4 billion
14. Wisconsin, $7.4 billion
15. Colorado, $7.2 billion
16. Missouri, $6.8 billion
17. South Carolina, $6.4 billion
18. Alabama, $5.5 billion
19. Arizona, $5.6 billion
20. Kentucky, $5.5 billion
21. Iowa, $4.2 billion
22. Oklahoma, $4.2 billion
23. Arkansas, $3.5 billion
24. Nebraska, $3.3 billion
25. New Mexico, $2.9 billion
26. Hawaii, $2.3 billion
27. New Hampshire, $2.2 billion
28. Maine, $2.0 billion
29. Idaho, $1.9 billion
30. Rhode Island, $1.7 billion
31. Delaware, $1.5 billion
32. Vermont, $1.4 billion
33. Montana, $1.2 billion
34. North Dakota, $1.2 billion
35. Wyoming, $1.1 billion
36. 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.