Education
California vs New York: School Spending
New York spends more per pupil than California by $9,779.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for school spending.
California
#14 · $20,233
New York
#1 · $30,012
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
#14
California
$20,233
California
California ranks 14th and New York ranks 1st nationally for school spending.
What this means
California vs New York: School Spending in context
New York's school spending is $30,012, compared with $20,233 in California, a gap of 48.3%. Per-pupil K-12 education spending (World Population Review 2025).
California
$20,233
New York
$30,012
Difference
$9,779
People also ask
California vs New York School Spending — common questions
QWhat is California's school spending?
California's school spending is $20,233.
QWhat is New York's school spending?
New York's school spending is $30,012.
QWhich state has a higher school spending — California or New York?
New York spends more per pupil than California by $9,779.
QHow much more school spending does New York have compared to California?
$9,779.
More comparisons: California vs New York
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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.