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Children And Education
Per-Student Spending

Maintaining


Per Student Spending

What does this measure?

Total spending by public school districts, divided by total pupils.

Why is this important?

Higher spending for schools can mean better facilities, programs, and a greater range of opportunities available to students. It may also signal public support for education and a better paid, more experienced teaching workforce. However, studies have found higher spending does not necessarily lead to higher student achievement, given many other factors that contribute to student success, including socioeconomic and parental influences.

How does our county compare?

In 2021, Lancaster County school districts spent about $19,200 per student, about 2% less than the statewide level of $19,700. The county rate represented a 56% increase since 2001, compared to a 48% increase at the statewide level.

The Lancaster City School District spent about $23,800 per student, a 78% increase since 2001.

Among surrounding counties, 2021 per-student spending was higher in Chester ($20,300), similar in York ($19,400) and Berks ($18,900), and less in Dauphin ($18,100), Cumberland ($18,000) and Lebanon ($16,200). Since 2001, per-student spending increased more than Lancaster in only York (64%). Chester and Dauphin saw the lowest percent increase from 2001 at 32% and 26% respectively.

Notes about the data

Figures are from the Pennsylvania Department of Education and have been adjusted to 2021 dollars. Per pupil expenditures are calculated by dividing a district's operating costs by its average enrollment across the school year.

Per Student Spending
200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Pennsylvania$13,346$13,814$14,141$14,751$15,054$15,437$15,748$16,014$16,602$17,013$17,075$16,651$17,008$17,191$18,126$18,544$19,606$18,973$19,386$19,982$19,717
Lancaster County$12,305$12,472$12,889$13,252$13,350$13,645$14,568$15,054$15,814$15,921$15,769$15,593$16,004$16,391$17,272$17,536$18,331$18,498$18,955$18,941$19,245
Berks County$12,696$12,794$12,917$13,287$13,748$14,092$14,826$14,886$15,792$16,459$16,096$16,223$16,757$16,346$18,112$17,504$18,592$18,301$18,658$18,968$18,842
Chester County$15,337$15,880$16,332$17,293$17,605$17,864$18,575$18,372$18,939$19,028$18,595$18,346$18,574$18,513$19,218$20,183$20,420$20,405$20,745$20,252$20,272
Cumberland County$12,383$12,698$12,885$13,083$13,574$13,804$14,407$15,203$15,406$15,353$16,135$14,945$15,708$15,410$16,304$16,873$16,956$16,838$16,580$16,823$18,042
Dauphin County$14,340$14,883$14,857$14,979$15,732$16,534$16,644$17,511$17,681$17,780$17,726$16,861$17,181$18,089$17,738$20,943$18,415$18,590$18,911$19,031$18,098
Lebanon County$11,713$12,238$12,085$12,292$12,543$12,927$13,760$14,418$14,805$15,374$14,503$14,391$14,982$15,151$15,090$15,783$16,368$16,508$16,308$15,977$16,227
York County$11,817$12,160$12,590$12,935$13,848$14,876$14,328$14,822$15,879$16,242$16,241$15,752$16,417$16,197$17,792$17,806$18,229$17,767$18,393$19,298$19,360

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars.




Total Spending
200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
Pennsylvania$24,019,443,192$24,905,677,388$25,597,169,703$26,745,966,127$27,257,269,710$27,995,569,903$28,491,315,720$28,839,993,293$29,677,616,288$30,234,136,974$30,233,393,149$29,223,795,999$29,735,720,528$29,906,630,269$31,309,756,825$31,961,001,349$33,711,439,945$32,600,957,484$33,276,567,620$34,292,547,702$33,329,984,873
Lancaster County$847,767,333$867,217,933$900,658,836$928,830,703$940,982,014$967,434,795$1,030,285,636$1,059,805,015$1,108,019,269$1,109,077,137$1,100,976,667$1,085,561,674$1,114,867,632$1,134,194,404$1,190,447,512$1,203,225,933$1,257,121,813$1,266,338,010$1,290,624,598$1,280,238,254$1,280,140,820
Berks County$809,956,052$830,177,036$863,314,296$902,187,334$952,799,764$996,441,186$1,061,115,847$1,061,654,685$1,119,755,750$1,163,364,717$1,147,150,673$1,150,446,734$1,178,322,877$1,138,659,838$1,253,608,773$1,211,018,085$1,282,093,174$1,266,853,128$1,294,436,038$1,316,769,323$1,289,690,922
Chester County$1,001,702,879$1,054,663,826$1,111,265,445$1,195,875,988$1,237,757,582$1,284,387,078$1,351,502,376$1,350,328,139$1,401,460,334$1,425,028,907$1,400,783,207$1,386,457,895$1,407,646,377$1,412,813,553$1,462,001,342$1,533,422,566$1,566,941,673$1,577,528,030$1,612,590,124$1,582,334,031$1,552,830,451
Cumberland County$352,989,476$362,350,639$369,602,289$377,656,690$390,261,124$401,951,187$422,441,448$444,543,377$447,735,960$448,881,949$472,773,052$440,880,622$465,749,482$462,726,160$490,678,200$509,896,687$520,953,602$522,485,334$522,313,442$539,918,124$571,054,434
Dauphin County$549,813,917$570,904,028$568,933,598$579,035,606$605,710,005$636,200,877$639,654,430$669,779,216$674,918,700$664,880,554$657,552,044$608,116,340$626,517,639$661,266,931$651,711,671$774,164,039$688,740,693$707,142,875$728,864,296$741,726,950$703,957,742
Lebanon County$211,649,581$223,241,287$222,866,932$230,711,272$239,498,855$247,465,005$265,469,450$281,133,528$286,986,871$298,880,648$280,192,169$279,942,032$295,353,867$296,756,009$297,570,273$312,114,302$323,645,320$336,591,392$333,752,645$328,390,956$328,542,487
York County$784,359,426$809,940,473$845,482,958$880,479,791$951,107,989$1,040,368,544$1,013,528,986$1,050,020,316$1,123,263,841$1,143,305,249$1,148,418,171$1,113,451,029$1,154,569,736$1,136,921,160$1,245,215,441$1,254,079,670$1,284,100,705$1,257,887,439$1,301,892,545$1,374,998,504$1,350,998,673

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars.




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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