K-12 education in the United States

Statistics report on K-12 education in the United States

K-12 education in the United States

This report presents statistics and facts on K-12 education in the United States. The report begins with an overview of the K-12 education system, highlighting population-based demographics and differences between private and public institutions, with further information provided on revenue and expenditure. The report then outlines the rise of state legislation restricting materials and instruction in K-12 schools and libraries, as well as continuing inequalities in U.S. education. Perceptions from K-12 teachers and parents are also revealed, along with opinions from the American public themselves, demonstrating how the nation remains politically divided over their system of formal schooling.

Table of contents

Overview

9
  • Basic Statistic Number of elementary and secondary schools in the U.S. 2020/21, by type
  • Premium Statistic Share of U.S. public schools 2021/22, by enrollment size and school type
  • Basic Statistic School enrollment in public and private institutions in the U.S. 2022
  • Basic Statistic Enrollment in public and private elementary schools 1960-2022
  • Basic Statistic High school enrollment in public and private institutions U.S. 1965-2031
  • Premium Statistic Enrollment in public elementary and secondary schools U.S. 2022, by state
  • Basic Statistic Primary and secondary school enrollment rates in the U.S. in 2022, by age group
  • Basic Statistic Share of students enrolled in U.S. public K-12 schools 2021, by ethnicity and state
  • Basic Statistic U.S. public school enrollment numbers 2000-2021, by ethnicity

Revenue and expenditure

8
  • Basic Statistic School expenditure on public and private institutions 1970-2020
  • Basic Statistic Expenditure on public and private elementary and secondary schools U.S. 1970-2021
  • Premium Statistic U.S. per pupil public school expenditure FY 2023, by state
  • Basic Statistic U.S. public schools - average expenditure per pupil 1980-2020
  • Basic Statistic U.S. education - total expenditure per pupil in public schools 1990-2021
  • Basic Statistic Revenue of public elementary and secondary schools U.S. 1980-2020
  • Premium Statistic Average annual tuition for private K-12 schools U.S. 2024, by state
  • Premium Statistic Estimated average salary of public school teachers U.S. 2021/22, by state

State laws and book bans

8
  • Premium Statistic U.S. states restricting schools from teaching race, sex, or inequality 2021-2023
  • Premium Statistic Proposed bans on sex or gender identity in K-12 schools U.S. 2023, by grade level
  • Premium Statistic Share of transgender youth subject to bans on school sport participation U.S 2024
  • Premium Statistic Share of U.S. transgender population subject to bathroom bills 2024
  • Premium Statistic Instances of book bans in U.S. public schools 2022/23, by ban status
  • Basic Statistic Books banned in schools in the U.S. H2 2022, by state
  • Premium Statistic Book titles banned in schools in the U.S. H2 2022, by subject matter
  • Premium Statistic Topics that K-12 librarians would ban from their school libraries U.S. 2023

Inequalities in education

9
  • Premium Statistic Share of K-12 public students attending predominately same-race schools U.S 2021
  • Premium Statistic Share of public schools who feel understaffed U.S. 2024, by students of color
  • Premium Statistic Estimated average months of learning lost due to COVID-19 by ethnicity U.S. 2020
  • Premium Statistic NAEP reading scores for nine year olds U.S. 2022, by race
  • Premium Statistic NAEP math scores for nine year olds U.S. 2022, by race
  • Premium Statistic Share of K-12 students who feel their school respects who they are U.S. 2023, by race
  • Premium Statistic Schools in the U.S.: victims of threats/injuries by weapons, by ethnicity 2021
  • Premium Statistic Share of students who have experienced school shootings U.S. 1999-2024, by race
  • Basic Statistic Share of teachers afraid of school shootings U.S. 2022, by location and student race

K-12 teachers

9
  • Basic Statistic Teachers in elementary and secondary schools U.S. 1955-2031
  • Basic Statistic U.S. elementary and secondary schools: pupil-teacher ratio 1955-2031
  • Premium Statistic Impacts of restricting race, sex, and identity topics for K-12 teachers U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic Share of public K-12 teachers who limit political or social topics in class U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic Top reasons K-12 public school teachers limit political or social topics U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic K-12 teachers' views on how gender identity should be taught at school U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic K-12 teachers' support for parents to opt children out of race/gender topics U.S 2023
  • Premium Statistic Top three reasons K-12 public school teachers fear for their safety U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic Share of school staff who received concerns from parents on K-12 curriculum 2023

Parent perceptions

9
  • Premium Statistic Main reasons why parents enroll their children in private or public schools U.S. 2024
  • Premium Statistic Share of Americans with various views on what school type has the best education 2023
  • Premium Statistic Share of parents with select views on what school type is best U.S 2024, by gender
  • Premium Statistic Parents' beliefs on how gender identity is taught in school U.S. 2022, by party
  • Premium Statistic Parents with select beliefs on how slavery is taught in school U.S. 2022, by party
  • Premium Statistic Perceptions on the influence of K-12 parents or school boards U.S 2022, by party
  • Premium Statistic Parents who believe teachers should lead students in prayers U.S. 2022, by party
  • Premium Statistic Share of K-12 parents concerned about a violent intruder at school U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic K-12 parents' concerns on the effects of AI on their child's learning U.S. 2023

U.S. opinion

8
  • Premium Statistic Share of Americans who are concerned about select issues in public schools U.S. 2023
  • Premium Statistic U.S. views on who should influence LGBTQ-related school policies 2023
  • Premium Statistic U.S. views on how slavery and racism should be taught in schools 2023
  • Premium Statistic U.S. preferences for race-related curricula in K-12 schools 2023, by race
  • Premium Statistic U.S. views on whether teachers should use students' preferred pronouns 2023
  • Premium Statistic U.S. teens' comfortability with race and LGBTQ+ topics in the classroom 2023
  • Premium Statistic Share of LBGTQ+ students with various reasons to drop out of high school U.S. 2021-22
  • Premium Statistic Adults’ opinion on how K–12 schools should handle AI advances U.S. 2023-24

Statista report shop

Explore all Statista reports

We provide information on industries, companies, consumers, trends, countries, and politics, covering the latest and most important issues in a condensed format.

Contact

Get in touch with us. We are happy to help.
Statista Locations
Contact Meredith Alda
Meredith Alda
Sales Manager– Contact (United States)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Contact Yolanda Mega
Yolanda Mega
Operations Manager– Contact (Asia)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Contact Kisara Mizuno
Kisara Mizuno
Senior Business Development Manager– Contact (Asia)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Contact Lodovica Biagi
Lodovica Biagi
Director of Operations– Contact (Europe)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

Contact Carolina Dulin
Carolina Dulin
Group Director - LATAM– Contact (Latin America)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)