Education spending primarily goes towards instruction: Total per-pupil expenditures by function, 2021
| Per-pupil spending | |
|---|---|
| Instruction, salaries | $6,089 |
| Instruction, other | $3,883 |
| Other | $2,217 |
| Student & instructional support | $1,900 |
| Capital outlay | $1,848 |
| General & school administration | $1,260 |
| Transportation | $576 |
| Interest, school debt | $505 |
| Food services | $500 |
Note: Expenditures are in real 2024 dollars.
Source: EPI analysis of National Center for Education Statistics (2025a) data.