10 States with the Most Efficient Education Spending

10 States with the Most Efficient Education Spending in 2026

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In today’s competitive education landscape, comparing the effectiveness of public school systems across states can be challenging. While student performance can be easily assessed through grades, state-level comparisons involve various factors, including budget allocations, student populations, and cost of living differences. For instance, comparing California’s education system to South Dakota’s reveals complexities that go beyond mere numbers.

Despite these challenges, data on education spending, enrollment sizes, and school performance is available. To better understand how efficiently states allocate their education funds, we analyzed the relationship between spending, student populations, and school ratings. Our goal was to identify which states maximize their educational investments based on the percentage of high-performing schools.

Utilizing data from U.S. News and the National Center for Education Statistics, we compiled a list of states that demonstrate the most effective use of education funding. Below is our top ten list of states excelling in education spending efficiency.

Methodology

To assess the academic performance of each state, we referred to U.S. News’ Best High School Rankings, specifically examining the percentage of gold and silver star schools, which are recognized for their success in preparing students for higher education through Advanced Placement (AP) testing.

Next, we incorporated education spending data and total enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). We ranked the states based on their spending per student, with those spending the least achieving the highest rankings. This approach allows for an estimation of efficiency based on spending versus academic achievement.

By averaging these rankings, we identified how effectively each state allocates its education funds. States that spend less while maintaining high AP scores are considered the most efficient. In the event of ties, we prioritized states based on their student population size.

Curious about your state’s performance? Read on for the complete list!

1. Florida

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 24.40%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $8,840
Florida has gained a reputation for its unique culture, but when it comes to education spending, it leads the way. With an expenditure of $8,840 per student, nearly a quarter of Florida’s public schools are recognized with gold or silver star ratings.

2. Utah

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 15.40%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $6,440
Utah has faced historical challenges regarding school funding, but its position as the second most efficient state indicates that the resources available are being utilized effectively.

3. Nevada

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 16.20%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $8,140
Despite challenges in equitable funding distribution, Nevada has managed to achieve a gold and silver star rating for 16.20% of its schools, placing it third on our list.

4. California

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 23.60%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $9,670
California invests nearly $10,000 per student, with just under a quarter of its schools recognized for excellence. However, future funding stability remains a concern.

5. Colorado

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 14.80%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $8,910
Despite having a strong economy, Colorado’s education funding decisions have raised questions, as they continue to maintain a top-five ranking for efficiency.

6. Arizona

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 11.50%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $7,390
Arizona is home to significant cultural landmarks and has managed to keep over 10% of its schools at the gold or silver star level with a relatively low expenditure per student.

7. Texas

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 12.50%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $8,470
Despite its large population and lower-than-average spending, Texas has achieved a commendable percentage of gold and silver star schools.

8. Georgia

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 14.30%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $9,130
Georgia continues to operate below the national spending average while managing to achieve a respectable number of high-performing schools.

9. Kentucky

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 14.40%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $9,260
Kentucky’s history of educational reform has led to significant improvements in school performance, with 14.40% of schools recognized for excellence.

10. Ohio

Source

Percentage of Gold and Silver Star Schools: 18.70%
Dollars Spent Per Student: $11,430
Ohio rounds out our list, spending $11,430 per student while achieving an impressive percentage of gold and silver star schools, despite ongoing budgetary challenges.

Conclusion

Our comprehensive list highlights the states that excel in educational efficiency, but the conversation around educational funding and effectiveness is ongoing. If you’re considering a move or are a recent graduate exploring job opportunities, check out Zippia for more resources.

Looking for the best cities for entry-level jobs? Discover top opportunities in Oregon. For insights on job markets, explore the states with the lowest job prospects.

Note: All financial figures are presented in thousands of dollars.

Best Bang For Your Buck Ranking	State	State Abr.	$ Spent Per Student (2024)	Total Enrollment (Fall 2024)	Spending On Education (2023-24)	Percent Of Schools With Gold And Silver Medals	Number Of Eligible High Schools**
1	Florida	FL	$8.84	2,756,944	$24,363,817	24.40%	722
2	Utah	UT	$6.44	635,577	$4,094,074	15.40%	136
3	Nevada	NV	$8.14	459,189	$3,738,777	16.20%	111
4	California	CA	$9.67	6,312,161	$61,050,894	23.60%	2,126
5	Colorado	CO	$8.91	889,006	$7,924,319	14.80%	317
6	Arizona	AZ	$7.39	1,111,695	$8,220,539	11.50%	470
7	Texas	TX	$8.47	5,233,765	$44,330,579	12.50%	1,740
8	Georgia	GA	$9.13	1,744,437	$15,921,673	14.30%	441
9	Kentucky	KY	$9.26	688,640	$6,375,119	14.40%	270
10	Ohio	OH	$11.43	1,724,810	$19,714,149	18.70%	866
11	North Carolina	NC	$8.19	1,548,895	$12,685,461	9.10%	572
12	Virginia	VA	$10.90	1,280,381	$13,955,249	16.90%	320
13	Idaho	ID	$6.70	290,885	$1,949,963	6.10%	66
14	Maryland	MD	$14.08	874,514	$12,314,446	27.50%	204
15	Oklahoma	OK	$7.92	688,511	$5,451,048	5.60%	251
16	Tennessee	TN	$8.65	995,475	$8,606,624	7.30%	358
17	Alabama	AL	$9.06	744,164	$6,742,829	8.60%	360
18	Delaware	DE	$13.55	134,042	$1,816,383	17.60%	34
19	Indiana	IN	$9.41	1,046,269	$9,841,337	9.80%	410
20	Massachusetts	MA	$15.88	955,844	$15,183,018	21.50%	354
21	Wisconsin	WI	$11.38	871,432	$9,920,370	14.20%	492
22	Washington	WA	$10.16	1,073,638	$10,911,929	10.50%	370
23	Oregon	OR	$9.39	601,318	$5,647,470	7.60%	290
24	Connecticut	CT	$18.52	542,678	$10,050,439	23.50%	136
25	Arkansas	AR	$9.73	490,917	$4,778,074	9.30%	279
26	Vermont	VT	$18.35	87,311	$1,602,256	18.00%	61
27	Michigan	MI	$10.72	1,537,922	$16,493,575	10.20%	831
28	South Carolina	SC	$9.47	756,523	$7,163,995	7.50%	228
29	Mississippi	MS	$8.29	490,917	$4,071,006	2.10%	236
30	New Jersey	NJ	$18.37	1,400,579	$25,733,921	17.20%	412
31	Minnesota	MN	$11.34	857,235	$9,723,759	10.60%	517
32	New Hampshire	NH	$14.73	184,670	$2,720,225	14.60%	82
33	District of Columbia	DC	$19.86	80,958	$1,608,142	17.60%	34
34	Illinois	IL	$13.31	2,050,239	$27,289,963	12.40%	655
35	Montana	MT	$10.91	144,532	$1,576,937	9.50%	84
36	Missouri	MO	$9.94	917,785	$9,125,949	5.90%	410
37	Pennsylvania	PA	$13.92	1,743,160	$24,264,551	12.40%	675
38	New Mexico	NM	$9.37	340,365	$3,189,842	3.70%	191
39	Maine	ME	$13.38	182,470	$2,441,064	11.70%	111
40	Hawaii	HI	$12.70	182,384	$2,316,588	11.30%	53
41	South Dakota	SD	$8.89	133,040	$1,182,721	0.00%	130
42	New York	NY	$20.09	2,741,185	$55,080,662	16.50%	1,252
43	Rhode Island	RI	$15.38	141,959	$2,182,976	14%	57
44	Louisiana	LA	$10.77	716,800	$7,721,469	4.80%	332
45	Kansas	KS	$10.22	497,275	$5,083,374	4.20%	313
46	Iowa	IA	$10.60	505,311	$5,354,843	3.60%	338
47	West Virginia	WV	$11.40	280,310	$3,194,770	4.40%	114
48	North Dakota	ND	$11.73	106,586	$1,250,668	4.60%	109
49	Nebraska	NE	$11.69	312,635	$3,654,376	1.70%	238
50	Alaska	AK	$18.43	131,176	$2,418,000	5.40%	111
51	Wyoming	WY	$15.59	94,067	$1,466,579	3.20%	63

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Author

Ryan Morris

Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University.

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