Idaho Ranks Last in Per-Pupil K-12 Spending Among All 50 States, Federal Data Shows
Idaho Spends $11,167 Per Student, Well Below National Average
BOISE, Idaho — Idaho ranks last among all 50 states and the District of Columbia in per-pupil spending for K-12 public education, according to newly released data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The Gem State spent $11,167 per student during fiscal year 2024, the most recent year for which federal data is available — nearly $6,300 below the national average of $17,499 per child.
The ranking places Idaho at the bottom of every state in the nation, including Utah, the next-closest state at $11,299 per pupil. After Utah, per-pupil expenditures among the remaining states jump by approximately $1,000 or more, underscoring the gap between Idaho and the rest of the country.
Idaho’s position at or near the bottom of the national ranking is not new. According to the NCES data, Idaho ranked second-to-last in both 2022 and 2023, trailing only Utah. In 2021, the state ranked last — the same position it now holds again. Education researchers and state officials have noted that Idaho has occupied a similar spot near the bottom of per-pupil spending rankings for more than a decade.
Idaho’s neighboring states illustrate the scale of the disparity. Wyoming leads the region at $20,542 per pupil, followed by Washington at $18,639, Oregon at $18,052, Nevada at $14,247, and Montana at $14,202. Even Utah, the only state spending less than $12,000 per student, outpaces Idaho by $132 per child.
Wide Variation Exists Within Idaho School Districts
Despite the state’s low overall ranking, per-pupil spending varies widely across Idaho’s school districts. Small, rural districts often report the highest per-student expenditures due to fixed administrative and operational costs spread across a limited student population. Avery, one of the state’s smallest K-8 school districts, recorded approximately $91,030 in spending per student in fiscal year 2025 — the highest in the state. Three Creek, Prairie, and Pleasant Valley Elementary school districts also ranked among the top four.
Among larger districts, Boise spent $14,639 per student in fiscal year 2025, above the statewide average of $13,020. By contrast, West Ada School District — the state’s largest by enrollment — spent just $8,875 per student, well below both the state and national averages. The statewide average for 2025 rose to $13,020, reflecting a more current picture than the federal 2024 data.
On the lower end of the spending spectrum, hybrid and virtual schools consistently report the lowest per-pupil expenditures. Idaho Home Learning spent $6,408 per student in the most recent year, the lowest recorded figure in the state. Supporters of school choice models argue that lower per-pupil costs in virtual and hybrid settings can represent taxpayer efficiency, while critics contend those figures may mask unmet student needs.
The debate over education funding in Idaho is not limited to raw spending numbers. Policymakers and school administrators have long debated how to balance fiscal responsibility with academic outcomes, particularly as the state’s population grows and enrollment demands increase. For context on how school district decisions are being made locally, the Kootenai district recently adopted a four-day school week — a cost-management and staffing strategy gaining traction in several rural Idaho communities.
Meanwhile, healthcare workforce funding tied to Idaho’s education system has also come under scrutiny. Gov. Brad Little recently vetoed a bill that would have cut graduate medical education funding, a decision that intersects with broader questions about how the state prioritizes public investment in its workforce pipeline.
What Comes Next
The release of the NCES data is expected to renew pressure on Idaho lawmakers to revisit the state’s school funding formula during the next legislative session. Idaho legislators, many of whom have emphasized the importance of keeping tax burdens low on Idaho families and businesses, face the ongoing challenge of addressing education funding gaps without expanding government spending. Whether the state’s ranking near the bottom of national per-pupil spending will translate into concrete budget action remains to be seen. The data, originally reported by Idaho Education News, was compiled in part by data analyst Randy Schrader and published April 22, 2026.