School district

How much do Milwaukee public schools spend per student?

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

In the school year that ended in 2024, the Milwaukee school district in Wisconsin spent $20,815 per student on day-to-day schooling, the 16th most of the 100 largest U.S. school districts. That was 30% more than the Wisconsin figure of $15,952 and 18% more than the U.S. figure of $17,619. It had 66,864 students, the 54th most of the 100.

Spending per student

$20,815

The 16th most of the 100 largest districts.

Students

66,864

The 54th largest of the 100.

Wisconsin, per student

$15,952

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 Milwaukee 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/milwaukee-wisconsin

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