Does North Dakota spend more per public school student than its neighboring states?

North Dakota’s public schools spent $17,102 per student on operations in fiscal 2024, slightly more than Minnesota’s $17,098, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Montana spent $13,656 per student and South Dakota spent $12,828.

Those figures come from the bureau’s 2024 Annual Survey of School System Finances, the latest available. North Dakota led its three neighboring states but remained below the national average of $17,619 per student.

The comparison measures current spending for public school students from prekindergarten through 12th grade. It excludes construction, land purchases, equipment and debt service. The figures are not adjusted for differences in the cost of living.

Per-student spending is different from per-capita spending, which measures spending relative to the entire population. These comparisons alone do not establish whether school funding is sufficient or how effectively schools allocate their resources.