School district

How much do Detroit public schools spend per student?

Detroit, Michigan

In the school year that ended in 2024, the Detroit school district in Michigan spent $21,406 per student on day-to-day schooling, the 13th most of the 100 largest U.S. school districts. That was 17% more than the Michigan figure of $18,314 and 21% more than the U.S. figure of $17,619. It had 48,271 students, the 97th most of the 100.

Spending per student

$21,406

The 13th most of the 100 largest districts.

Students

48,271

The 97th largest of the 100.

Michigan, per student

$18,314

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 Detroit 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/detroit-michigan

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