School district

How much do Los Angeles Unified public schools spend per student?

Los Angeles Unified, California

In the school year that ended in 2024, the Los Angeles Unified school district in California spent $25,631 per student on day-to-day schooling, the 4th most of the 100 largest U.S. school districts. That was 23% more than the California figure of $20,791 and 45% more than the U.S. figure of $17,619. It had 419,929 students, the 2nd most of the 100.

Spending per student

$25,631

The 4th most of the 100 largest districts.

Students

419,929

The 2nd largest of the 100.

California, per student

$20,791

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 Los Angeles Unified 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/los-angeles-unified-california

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