the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, a newly released report from the U.S. Census Bureau ranks New Jersey fourth in the nation for public school per-student spending, with an average of $26,280 per student in fiscal year 2023 — nearly $10,000 above the national average of $16,014.
The 2023 Annual Survey of School System Finances, published May 1, highlights public education expenditures, revenues, and administrative costs across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Only New York ($30,012), Washington D.C. ($31,629), and Vermont ($26,345) reported higher spending per student than New Jersey.
Instruction, Salaries, and Benefits Among Top Spending Areas
Instructional costs — which include teacher salaries, benefits, and classroom expenses — made up the largest portion of spending in the Garden State, totaling $15,587 per student. This figure was well above the national average of $9,762 and trailed only New York and Washington D.C.
New Jersey’s instructional salaries averaged $7,976 per student, placing sixth nationally, ahead of Rhode Island and just behind Connecticut and Massachusetts. Employee benefits costs came in at $5,539 per student, the second-highest in the U.S., more than double the national average of $2,633.
Local Taxpayers Shoulder Most of the Burden
As many New Jersey residents might expect, local revenue sources contributed the majority of school funding, with $14,401 per student coming from local taxes and just $2,205 from federal sources. The local-to-federal funding ratio of 6.5 to 1 was the third highest in the country.
Despite having over 600 school districts — many serving single municipalities — New Jersey managed to keep general administrative costs lower than states with similar total spending. General administration costs were $453 per student (12th nationally), while school-level administrative costs were $1,178 (7th nationally).
Comparison to Other States
By contrast, Washington D.C. spent over $2,100 per student on school-level administration, while New York also exceeded New Jersey in both general and school-level administrative costs. States like Massachusetts and Connecticut also reflected high classroom investment, continuing a regional trend among Northeastern states.
At the lower end of the spectrum, Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, and Arizona spent less than $11,300 per student. Instructional costs in these states fell below $6,000, and administrative spending was less than half of New Jersey’s.
New Jersey’s School Debt and Capital Investments
The report also revealed that New Jersey had $7.9 billion in outstanding public school debt at the end of FY2023, ranking 17th nationally. The state issued $1.27 billion in new debt while retiring $613.8 million, showing a more aggressive borrowing strategy than nearby states like Maryland and Virginia.
For capital outlay — spending on school construction and infrastructure — New Jersey allocated $1.66 billion, placing 19th nationwide. The total was lower than New York and Pennsylvania, but above smaller states like Connecticut and Delaware.
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