New Jersey Spends More Than Most of America on K-12 Students

The amount of money the government spends on Education has become a hot topic in recent weeks.  Ever since President Donald Trump eliminated the US Department of Education after a 46 year run, everyone with a platform has been debating how the US Education system should be funded.

While everyone agrees that resources should be committed to educating America's children, there is little consensus on "how" the money should be spent or understanding that the major of education spending happens at the state level and many resources do not come from the Federal Government

In New Jersey, one of Governor Phil Murphy's original campaign promises was to upgrade the State's School Funding Formula and make a larger commitment to K-12 Education.  There was $11.7 billion committed to New Jersey schools for the 2024-25 Academic Year.

But according to the New Jersey Department of Education's State Aid Summaries, 63 School Districts in South Jersey had State Funding cut for the 2024-25 Academic Year. Leading some South Jersey School Districts to make difficult decisions such as eliminating courtesy busing.

The latest research by the Education Data Initiative found that New Jersey spends more money per student than most of the United States.

How Much Money Is New Jersey Spending On Educating K-12 Students?

New Jersey's spending on students has increased by 5.8 percent since 2022. With the Total Average Spent Per Pupil in NJ now at $26,560, New Jersey is ranked the third highest rate in the United States.

That is 53.7 percent higher than the National Average ($17,280). But only $2,030 per pupil comes from the Federal Government to New Jersey, which is the 12th lowest in the United States.

However, only 4.82% of taxpayer income revenue goes to New Jersey Education Expenditures. Which of course opens a whole other set of questions about state tax revenues and NJ Government spending.

Here Are The Top Ten States For Total Average Spending Per K-12 Pupil

1. New York: $33,440
2. Vermont: $26,970
3. New Jersey: $26,560
4. Connecticut: $25,020
5. Massachusetts: $24,360
6. Alaska: $22,000
7. New Hampshire: $21,900
8. Illinois: $21,830
9. Pennsylvania: $21,440
10. Rhode Island: $21,050

Speaking of education spending, here are the New Jersey Municipalities that commit the highest percentage of their local tax revenues to their School Districts: