Education
Arkansas vs California: School Spending
California spends more per pupil than Arkansas by $6,360.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for school spending.
Arkansas
#36 · $13,873
California
#14 · $20,233
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — School Spending
#1
New York
$30,012
New York
#2
Vermont
$28,818
Vermont
#3
New Jersey
$26,280
New Jersey
#4
Connecticut
$25,801
Connecticut
#5
Hawaii
$23,878
Hawaii
#6
New Hampshire
$22,978
New Hampshire
#7
Massachusetts
$22,947
Massachusetts
#8
Delaware
$22,201
Delaware
#9
Rhode Island
$22,110
Rhode Island
#10
Pennsylvania
$21,091
Pennsylvania
Selected states
#36
Arkansas
$13,873
Arkansas
#14
California
$20,233
California
Arkansas ranks 36th and California ranks 14th nationally for school spending.
What this means
Arkansas vs California: School Spending in context
California's school spending is $20,233, compared with $13,873 in Arkansas, a gap of 45.8%. Per-pupil K-12 education spending (World Population Review 2025).
Arkansas
$13,873
California
$20,233
Difference
$6,360
People also ask
Arkansas vs California School Spending — common questions
QWhat is Arkansas's school spending?
Arkansas's school spending is $13,873.
QWhat is California's school spending?
California's school spending is $20,233.
QWhich state has a higher school spending — Arkansas or California?
California spends more per pupil than Arkansas by $6,360.
QHow much more school spending does California have compared to Arkansas?
$6,360.
More comparisons: Arkansas vs California
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
2025
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Nominal annual K-12 spending per student.