School district

How much do Charleston County public schools spend per student?

Charleston County, South Carolina

In the school year that ended in 2024, the Charleston County school district in South Carolina spent $18,199 per student on day-to-day schooling, the 25th most of the 100 largest U.S. school districts. That was 21% more than the South Carolina figure of $15,060 and 3% more than the U.S. figure of $17,619. It had 50,400 students, the 87th most of the 100.

Spending per student

$18,199

The 25th most of the 100 largest districts.

Students

50,400

The 87th largest of the 100.

South Carolina, per student

$15,060

Every public school district in the state.

United States, per student

$17,619

Every public school district in the U.S.

Cite this page

Chartly, “How much do Charleston County public schools spend per student?”, from U.S. Census Bureau Annual Survey of School System Finances data for the school year that ended in 2024. https://chart.ly/school-districts/charleston-county-south-carolina

How these figures are measured

  • Spending per student is a district's current spending, the day-to-day cost of running its schools (teachers' and staff pay and benefits, supplies, buses, food and upkeep), divided by its students. Building new schools, paying off debt, payments to other school systems and programs for adults are left out.
  • The figures are in dollars of the day and aren't adjusted for local prices or for students' needs, which differ widely: a district with many students learning English or with disabilities, or in a costly city, spends more to do the same.
  • Students are the enrollments the Census Bureau used for the survey, from the U.S. Department of Education's count, which can be a year or so older than the spending. Charter schools run by private groups are left out.
  • The school year is each state's fiscal year, which ends on June 30 in most states. The largest districts are the 100 with the most students; the state and U.S. figures count every public school district.

Sources and dates